(Click here for the Māori language version)

Principle I:

The right to advise

The Auckland War Memorial Museum Act 1996 empowers the Taumata-ā-Iwi to give advice on all matters of Māori protocol within the Museum and between the Museum and Māori people at large.  Museum policies will reflect the aspirations of both Treaty partners by acknowledging that existing and proposed policies will be reviewed by the Taumata-ā-Iwi, and recommendations to the Auckland Museum Trust Board will be made accordingly. 

Principle II:

Partnership

Both the Auckland Museum Trust Board and the Taumata-ā-Iwi will act reasonably and in the utmost good faith by observing and encouraging the spirit of partnership and goodwill envisaged by the Treaty of Waitangi.  The Trust Board recognises the Taumata-ā-Iwi’'s cultural responsibility to wider Māori regarding any implications of mana Māori (lore of the Māori) as measured by mana whenua and associated obligations of manaakitanga (providing hospitality to visitors) or kaitiakitanga (cultural management and protection of taonga and resources) including Māori cultural, intellectual and commercial property rights, and will seek advice and direction in all such cases as they arise.

Principle III:

Māori expectations

The Museum recognises the right of all Māori to expect the Taumata-ā-Iwi, on their behalf as the recognised kaitiaki of the Museum, to:

(i) monitor the management –custody, care, display, accessibility and development – of their taonga within the Museum

(ii) facilitate repatriation of all whakapakoko, uru moko and koiwi.

Principle IV:

Active protection

The Taumata-ā-Iwi will provide advice to the Auckland Museum Trust Board, and the Trust Board will protect the Taumata-ā-Iwi by ensuring the rights of Māori in the Museum are protected, in kaitiakitanga terms, by:

(i) safeguarding mana whenua and the lore of Māori 

(ii) safeguarding the tapu (spiritual restrictions) of the Museum’'s war shrines

(iii) providing appropriate management – custody, care, display, accessibility and development – of all taonga

(iv) providing all staff and visitors with a culturally safe environment

(v) taking affirmative action in recruitment, training and educational (primary, secondary and tertiary) programmes, which will lead Māori people into professional careers in New Zealand'’s culturally integrated Museums.

Principle V:

Redress for past misunderstanding

The Auckland Museum Trust Board acknowledges that there may be misunderstandings from the past related to taonga that need to be addressed and that there is a responsibility to seek advice from the Taumata-ā-Iwi, and to:

(i) objectively explore and assess each example as it comes to light 

(ii) put in place practices that minimise and eliminate future needs for redress.