Taonga

As taonga material and intellectual culture treasures are referred to in the culture of the Māori. Among the tangible cultural assets are historical objects, land and fishing grounds. The ideal values ​​include language, religious beliefs, and even radio frequencies and water rights.

Taonga have in New Zealand constitutional importance, as the second article of the Treaty of Waitangi assures the undersigned Māori that they retain ownership and use of their taonga under British rule. Section 6 ( e) of the Resource Management Act 1991 obliged makers the relationship of Māori and their culture and tradition along with their ancestral lands, water, places, wahi tapu and other taonga recognize as a matter of national importance and treat.

What is a taonga, has been the subject of heated debate, as to whether the Māori name used in the Lego Bionicle toy train are the intellectual property of Māori. or on the issue of genetic engineering.

The Māori names of many museums in New Zealand include the term whare taonga - literally " treasure house". The Ministry of Culture, which is responsible for the cultural heritage is, to Māori taonga Te Manatu.