“People Are Still Grieving”

The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement made in 1840 between the British Crown and the majority of indigenous Maori chiefs. This chapter considers the extent to which Maori young people interpret the Treaty differently than those who identify as non-indigenous. It contributes to research that indicates that race, ethnicity, gender and religious background can influence the interpretive frameworks that young people bring to historical inquiry, particularly inquiries related to difficult histories. The chapter argues that although racial discrimination was illegal in New Zealand, Maori had unique rights as indigenous people and the Treaty was the basis of the relationship between Maori and Pakeha. Maori and Pasifika students also explained the Treaty as a lost opportunity at fairness, representing instead the greed of British settlers. However the differences in percentages between the survey data and the national statistics are not substantial, and in the case of Pakeha , Pasifika and Asian much the same.