Tikanga Maori | Maori Laws and Philosophy

Tikanga Maori is the first law of Aotearoa New Zealand and will continue to be recognised independently of the state legal system. The courts have affirmed tikanga as a formal source of law, and therefore, it is important for those in law, and related fields, to have an understanding of tikanga Maori. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, Sir Justice Joseph Williams, has noted that it will be extraordinarily difficult to be an effective lawyer if you do not have some grounding in the basis of tikanga Maori. This course introduces you to tikanga as a mechanism for addressing imbalance arising from conflict, tensions or trangressions, i.e., processes for arriving at tika (justice/appropriate/correct). You will critically explore the legal philosophy of tikanga Maori and compare with selected western legal philosophies. This course will equip you with the necessary knowledge to distinguish between tikanga Maori as a seperate body of law, and how the state legal system has recognised and is influenced by tikanga Maori. Ultimately, you will develop the skills to identify legal contexts where tikanga might be relevant and how it might apply within a contemporary judicial setting.