Judge Sir Edward Taihākurei Durie
Author
Formerly High Court Judge of New Zealand, Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court and Chairperson of the Waitangi Tribunal Sir Eddie Durie is regarded as leading legal expert on the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi, 1840, is the agreement between The Queen of England and Māori Chiefs for settlement and governance and for protection of Māori property, law, knowledge and resources.
During his leadership of the Waitangi Sir Edward has authored and overseen the recording of an exceptional body of indigenous knowledge and history, drawn from working alongside senior tribal leaders with specialist knowledge of Maori law and custom. These accounts pertain to claims by Māori for breaches of the Treaty and are documented in the Waitangi Tribunal reports.