Editing Politics of New Zealand (section)

===Pre-colonial politics===
{{Further|Māori politics#Pre-colonial Māori governance}}
Before New Zealand becoming a British colony in 1840, politics in New Zealand was dominated by Māori chiefs as leaders of [[hapū]] and [[iwi]], utilising [[tikanga|Māori customs]] as a political system.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ballara|first=Angela|title=Iwi: The Dynamics of Māori Tribal Organisation from C.1769 to C.1945 |year=1998|publisher=Victoria University Press|location=Wellington|isbn=9780864733283|edition=1st}}</ref> The Māori were organised into large, extended family groups known as iwi, and these iwi were further divided into smaller hapū (subtribes). Each hapū had its own leadership structure, with chiefs ([[rangatira]]) who were responsible for the well-being and governance of their people.<ref>Rāwiri Taonui, 'Tribal organisation', Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, published 8 February 2005, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/tribal-organisation (accessed 6 October 2024).</ref>