VOA Learning English
New Zealand Recognizes
a Mountain as a Legal Person
New Zealand's parliament recently passed a law that gives a mountain all the rights
and responsibilities of a human being.
The indigenous Māori people of New Zealand consider the mountain their ancestor.
The mountain is now known by its Māori name, Taranaki Maunga. The Māori people of New Zealand represent about 15 percent of the country's population.
Taranaki Maunga is a dormant volcano on New Zealand’s North Island. Snow covers
the top of the 2,516-meter-high mountain. It is a popular place for tourism, hiking and snow sports.
The legal recognition of the mountain is one of the steps New Zealand's government
has taken to make up for harm the indigenous population suffered in the past.
The new law makes it known that the Taranaki area was stolen from the Māori after
New Zealand was colonized.
The new law gives Taranaki Maunga all the rights, powers, duties, responsibilities and