New Treaty, New Tradition

Book excerpt: Legal cultures change in response to social and economic environments. Māori author and legal scholar Carwyn Jones provides a timely examination of how the resolution of land claims in New Zealand has affected traditional Māori law, illustrating the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples as they attempt to exercise self-determination in a postcolonial world. Combining thoughtful analysis with Māori storytelling New Treaty, New Tradition reveals the enduring vitality of Māori legal traditions, making the case that genuine reconciliation can occur only when we recognize the importance of Indigenous traditions in the settlement process. Drawing on examples from Canada and New Zealand, Jones illustrates how Western legal thought has shaped the historical claims process. As Indigenous self-determination plays out on the world stage, this nuanced reflection brings into focus prospects for the long-term success of reconciliation projects in Canada and around the globe.