New Zealand's Mount Taranaki Gains Personhood Status

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Mount Taranaki becomes a legal person in New Zealand, with the same rights and protections as humans under a historic law passed on January 30, 2025.

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The 8,261-foot dormant volcano sheds its colonial name Mount Egmont to embrace its traditional Māori identity as Taranaki Maunga.

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British colonizers seized the mountain and over a million acres of land from Māori tribes in the 1860s, causing deep cultural wounds.

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Local Māori representatives and government officials will jointly manage the mountain's future, balancing traditional practices with public access.

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The mountain's legal status, known as Te Kāhui Tupua, protects it from forced sales while preserving native wildlife and cultural heritage.

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Mount Taranaki follows Te Urewera forest and Whanganui River as New Zealand's third natural feature to receive legal personhood.

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Government minister Paul Goldsmith promises a formal apology to Māori tribes, marking a shift in New Zealand's approach to indigenous rights.

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"This mountain connects us and binds us together as a people," says local resident Aisha Campbell, expressing the deep cultural bond with Taranaki.

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Hundreds of Māori gathered at Parliament to celebrate the law's passage, marking a victory for indigenous rights and environmental protection.

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