New Zealand’s indigenous king seeks personhood status for whales

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Indigenous Maori King Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII in New Zealand has called for granting legal personhood to whales.

Tuheitio made the call after signing He Whakaputanga Moana, or Declaration for the Ocean, along with an indigenous chief in neighboring Cooks Island on Thursday, the Teao News website reported.

“He Whakaputanga Moana is not merely words on paper. It’s a Hinemoana Halo, a woven cloak of protection for our taonga, our treasures – the magnificent whales,” said the king.

The declaration comes after the efforts of the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Initiative which is also mulling to create an ocean protection fund for the big mammal.

The king called He Whakaputanga Moana as a “declaration for future generations.”

“Our mokopuna (descendants) deserve to inherit an ocean teeming with life, where the songs of whales continue to resonate across the vast expanse,” he added.

Aperahama Edwards, one of the initiative drivers, said: “This fund will empower Indigenous communities, the natural guardians of our shores, and support initiatives aligned with the declaration’s goals. Together, we can create a Hinemoana Halo, a woven cloak of protection for these taonga (treasures), our whales.”

New Zealand, home to nearly a million Maori ethnic people, has in the past legislated to grant legal status to rivers and mountains, seen as important to the indigenous people.