Abstract
This thesis assesses the extent to which the 1996 Waitangi Tribunal report "Taranaki Report Kaupapa Tuatahi" allowed for and took heed of Māori forms of telling history. In particular, this thesis examines whether the Tribunal reconciles the differences between a Māori perspective and the Western university tradition, or if Māori history is manipulated by the Tribunal process. Due to the nature of the Waitangi Tribunal, as well as its empowering statute, the extent to which it may incorporate the Māori history within its reports is limited, it does not incorporate other means by which Māori tell their histories. The Waitangi Tribunal process, however, has had an unforseen outcome: the compilation and preservation of a fantastic historical primary source detailing Māori history. It is imperative that this resource not go unrecognised, and that these primary sources are able to be accessed by researchers with an interest in Taranaki Māori history.