Gareth Farry — Law, Culture & Technology

The internet is increasingly becoming a web of authenticated actors. People sign in, organisations issue credentials, wallets sign transactions, and now AI agents are beginning to act on behalf of individuals, companies, governments, and communities. Across almost every domain, we have invested enormous effort into answering a deceptively simple question: who are you?

In 1873, a Māori community brought their land before New Zealand’s newly established Native Land Court. The authority over that land was not in dispute among them. It had been held for generations through whakapapa, through genealogy, participation, stewardship, and ongoing community recognition. The court required something else. It required a singular name capable of entering the administrative architecture being constructed around land ownership. The authority lineage was present. The archite