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William Daniel's avatar

I would have thought that the common term 'chattels,' as used in legal English, could serve as an adequate equivalent to 'taonga.' anything more than this would be an unfounded romanticisation of Maori words and concepts.

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Graham Adams's avatar

Excellent analysis. Thanks.

It is also worth noting that in Sir Apirana Ngata’s booklet explaining the Treaty in Maori, the English translation of "taonga" is rendered as “possessions”.

Furthermore, Ngata specified examples of the material possessions he believed the Treaty was referring to — canoes, taiaha, greenstone patu, and kumara pits.

The meaning of "taken at the point of a spear" is particularly relevant at the end of the Musket Wars. In that context, it likely meant "booty" or "the spoils of war".

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