This decision was the third in the country's history: in 2014, the Te Urewera Forest received a similar status, and in 2017— the Wanganui River. The new legal status guarantees careful and respectful treatment of these facilities. This is reported by The Guardian.

Taranaki Munga (Mount Taranaki) is the second highest mountain on the North Island of New Zealand. It is an almost perfectly symmetrical cone. Due to its cultural and spiritual significance, the mountain has become one of the most visited tourist attractions in New Zealand.

According to the new law, the mountain received the status of a legal entity. This is an extremely important event for the Maori people, as they consider Taranaki to be their ancient ancestor. In addition, the law fixed the new official name of the mountain in the Maori language — previously it was called Egmont.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the adoption of the law marks the beginning of a new stage in relations between the State and the Maori people. He called this day special, which provides an opportunity to correct the mistakes of 250 years ago, when the ancestral lands of the Maori people were conquered by the British.

Now the mountain's surroundings will be protected by specially appointed representatives of the Maori tribes and the government. They will develop rules for visitors to the mountain, reports rbc.ru.