Tūhono
About Māori land in New Zealand
Whenua Māori is our tūrangawaewae – it's part of who we are. We need to understand and acknowledge the history of our whenua so we can move forward into the future as kaitiaki.
![People at the waterfront looking at waka.](/media/ygeckmzk/waitangi-5.jpg?width=410&height=245&quality=80&mode=crop¢er=0.5,0.5)
History of Māori land
Find out about key events throughout history that have shaped the current state of Māori land.
![A view of land with Mt Taranaki in the background.](/media/ye0licy2/what-is-maori-land.jpg?width=410&height=245&quality=80&mode=crop¢er=0.5,0.5)
What is Māori land?
There are different types of Māori land – Māori freehold land is the most common, though it makes up only about 5% of Aotearoa now.
![Two women and a baby in front of a marae.](/media/hpbi3avf/why-whenua-matters.jpg?width=410&height=245&quality=80&mode=crop¢er=0.5,0.5)
Why whenua matters
Our whenua is our tūrangawaewae, our place to stand. It connects us to our whānau, our ancestors and to our future generations.
![Two people sitting at a table together.](/media/dwqhtqhs/how-ownership-works-today.jpg?width=410&height=245&quality=80&mode=crop¢er=0.5,0.5)
How Māori land ownership works today
Ownership of Māori land is complex — there are often many people involved, and strict rules and processes around how it can change hands.