Before the European settlers came to New Zealand, the Māori society was largely communal, and governance was based upon three tribal levels: the tribe, the clan, and the family group. The chefs of different clans within a tribe regarded themselves as equals; however, there was a senior-junior hierarchy in
place. Before European contact, Maori culture was divided into three societal levels: leaders, commoners, and slaves.
Political leadership n Maori society generally came from groups of people called the Ariki and the Rangatira. These high-ranking people were considered of the highest seniority. The Rangatira are the hereditary leaders of the hapu, or clans, and were considered equal to chieftains, characterized by their humility, honesty, and diplomacy. In the 1850’s, a Maori King Movement was created: a king would be appointed to the minority people and a monarchy was put in place. Today, the Maori monarch has no legal power in New Zealand, and other reigning monarchs are the head of separate tribes.
After the New Zealand Constitution Act, the Maori had an increasing desire to participate in parliament, and vote - this led to the Maori Representation Act, which made 4 special electorates specifically for the Maori people, as certain land laws prevented them from participating.
(Māori
politics. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved June 12,
2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_politics)