March 15, 2017

During one of the longest court proceedings in the history of New Zealand history, the Maori aboriginal tribe succeeded in acknowledgment of the Whanganui River as a living organism, reports The Guardian daily. The litigation lasted for 140 years, which resulted in the River obtaining a status with legal rights and obligations. The initial source of the case were unusual traditions of the aboriginal population of New Zealand, who consider themselves as part of the Universe and equate many natural objects and events with humans.

The thing is that the Maori people think that the Whanganui River is not only a living creature, but also is one of their ancestors. From now on, two “guardians” will be appointed for the River, one of whom will be appointed by the Maori tribe and the other by the government of New Zealand. The guardians will have the right to act on behalf of the Whanganui River. The new status means that causing damage to the River and to the tribe will qualify equally for they represent an integrated whole. The people of the tribe note that their efforts are not intended against further development or commercial use of the riverbed, however, they want that this should not contradict with their traditions and philosophy of life.