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In New Caledonia, the settlement of disputes by persons with a customary civil status takes place in accordance with the principles of Kanak custom, in particular by arbitration through the chiefdoms and the hierarchy of customary authorities. However, today the number of conflicts is being multiplied by the crisis of identity in Kanak society, and the conflicts are aggravated by the limited juridical status of the customary system as it stands today under the Organic Law of 1999, which established the status of this overseas local authority. Led by the Customary Senate, the Kanak customary courts offer a pragmatic way of dealing with disputes inspired by the palaver model. The chiefdoms have also adopted a Charter of the Kanak People which provides a framework of reference for the life principles and values that serve as a basis for arbitral decisions.