You wouldn't believe that a volcano in New Zealand has the legal rights of a human being. Yes, you heard that right! Mount Taranaki, a beautiful mountain peak on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island, was legally granted personhood status back in 2017. The New Zealand government made a historic decision this year, protecting the sacred mountain and giving honor to the deep spiritual connection the local Māori tribes have with it.

Why does Mount Taranaki have legal rights?

Mount Taranaki is something more to the Māori than just a geographical feature; it is an ancestor and a member of the family. The government granted legal status to the volcano by realizing the mountain's sacred values to the Māori people. Harming Mount Taranaki is legally equivalent to harming the Māori tribes, as they take it to be so.

To reinforce this protection, the government and the Māori tribes have a shared guardianship over the mountain. The collaboration implies a commitment to preserving the landmark and also acknowledges the grievances that the community suffered in the past.

Mount Taranaki, or Mount Egmont name given by British explorer James Cook in the 18th century a mighty stratovolcano measuring 2,518 meters, or 8,261 feet, tall. Its slopes comprise a part of the Egmont National Park, famous for its beautiful green ring of 12 miles and the magical 'Goblins' Forest' near its summit. The volcano is estimated to be around 120,000 years old and erupted last time in 1775. Ever since that, it has been dormant, as reported by The Guardian.

New Zealand's then Minister for Treaty Negotiations, Andrew Little, described the decision as a major move toward protecting the mountain. " "As a New Plymouth local, I grew up under the gaze of the mountain, so I’m particularly pleased with the respect accorded to local people and the legal protection and personality given to the mountain," Little said.

He said that it is part of the historical injustices meted out to Taranaki iwi. Mount Taranaki provides that sense of place, social association, and identity,” he added.

In this way, by declaring Mount Taranaki as a legal person, New Zealand protected an icon of nature but also recognized the cultural heritage of its indigenous people—a step that others should follow.