綜觀全球原住民族的主權運動的基調幾乎皆以土地為核心，因為在殖民者進入之後，原住民族失去了對他們深具精神與文化意義的土地。然而，本文主張，主權問題的背後實與原住民族和殖民者、國家統治族群之間的族群關係相關。因此，本文將紐西蘭毛利人的主權問題置於其與歐洲白種人的關係架構下進行討論。為了解兩者關係為何，本文將依循著歷史時間的順序，從18世紀James Cook 船長抵達紐西蘭開始，到近19世紀中期的『獨立宣言』、『懷坦吉條約』的簽署，以及後來20世紀下半葉「懷坦吉法院」的設立作為探究蘊藏於毛利人與Pakeha 關係之主權問題的歷史素材。不論毛利人所面對的是英國或是紐西蘭政府，其所獲得的主權是從國家的角度出發，而非毛利人所欲的平等夥伴關係之觀點。唯有以權利為基礎的關係、雙民族的對話、被視為一個民族而非族群、平等的夥伴關係、將毛利人的差異視為刺激憲政制度改變的動機與思維，毛利人與紐西蘭政府的對話方能進行，而毛利人的主權得以完整實踐。

Almost all the indigenous peoples around the world claim their sovereignty pivoting around the issue of land, for they lost their land as a consequence of the colonization. However, in the eyes of the indigenous peoples, land not only nurtures their life but also has spiritual and cultural significance in their life world. Notwithstanding the fact that discussion on sovereignty predominantly focuses on land, the author argues that it is the relationship between the indigenous people and the colonizers, rulers of the nation-state plays the central role. Therefore sovereignty of the Maori in New Zealand n this study is analyzed in their relationship with Pakeha. In scrutinizing this, it is necessary to look at the arrival of Captain James Cook in the 18^(th) century, Declaration of Independence in the mid-19^(th) century, Treaty of Waitangi, and the Waitangi Tribunal in the 20^(th) century. Notably, sovereignty that accords the Maori predominates with the viewpoints of the Crown and the government of New Zealand, rather than of the Maoris'. What the Maori have striven for is partnership on the basis of equality. Maori will be completely sovereign until the government of New Zealand is aware of the relationship based on the rights, bi-national dialogue, being seen as a nation rather than an ethnic group, equal partnership, taking difference of the Maori as incentive to change of constitution.