The Whanganui River has been declared a legal entity by New Zealand
- The New Zealand Parliament has designated the Whanganui River as a legal entity through a law and with it the river is the first in the world to achieve such status.
It is on the northern island of the country that the river and its Maori people worship it. It has 290 kilometers and is the third longest in the country. According to the decision, the river will have rights and obligations and will be represented before a court by two persons, one on behalf of the State and the other on behalf of the Whanganui iwi people (Maori).
Minister Chris Finlayson, who has led the negotiations, says that many may think it is strange to give a river the character of a person, “but it is not strange for us to give that character to a family foundation, a company or an association.”
According to New Zealand Labour MP Adrian Rurawhen, for the Maori, the well-being of the river is linked to their well-being. And basically, the idea of giving the river the character of a person comes from the close connection of the Maori and the Whanganui River, which this proverb of this town sums up: “I am the river and the river is me.” The Maori have been making this request since 1870.
The New Zealand Herald explains that with this agreement the river will receive 52 million euros in compensation, 19 million to improve its situation and 1 to consolidate its legal status.
The representatives of the Maori people who were in Parliament made the decision by singing and dancing, as can be seen in the video produced by the Neo-Zealand newspaper.
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