He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirani (Declaration of Independence)

He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirani, signed in 1835, is a formal declaration by a group of Māori tribes asserting their sovereignty and independence from British and other colonial authorities. It established the mana (authority) of Māori rangatira (chiefs) and their collective right to govern their lands and people. Although not a legal independence document like a modern country's, it marked a significant assertion of Māori self-determination and laid the groundwork for future negotiations regarding sovereignty and sovereignty acknowledgment within New Zealand.