Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, a twenty-two-year-old Māori MP, bravely opposed an indigenous treaty measure on Thursday, igniting a contentious debate in the New Zealand Parliament. As MPs prepared to vote on the legislation, Maipi-Clarke, the youngest member of the New Zealand Parliament and a representative of the Te Pati Māori, demonstrated her opposition during the session by tearing up a copy of the bill and doing the traditional Māori haka dance.
Everyone in the chamber was moved by her forceful protest, which encouraged others to follow suit. In order to restore order, Speaker Gerry Brownlee had to momentarily suspend the proceedings. Since then, a widely shared video of Maipi-Clarke’s deed has come to represent resistance.
Her forceful protest reverberated throughout the room, motivating others to follow suit. In order to restore order, Speaker Gerry Brownlee had to put the proceedings on hold for a while. A widely shared video of Maipi-Clarke’s acts has now come to represent resistance.
The purpose of the haka performed by Māori in Parliament should be understood and respected. It’s more than simply custom; it’s a proud statement of identification, a plea for their rights to be recognised, and an expression of their culture. In addition to being rude, dismissing or making fun of it demonstrates a lack of awareness of its cultural significance. We should all make an effort to value and honour the diversity in our communities.
Last week, the ACT New Zealand Party, a minor partner in the country’s centre-right coalition government, introduced a bill aimed at altering some principles of the Treaty of Waitangi—a proposal that has faced strong opposition from many within the Māori community.
We are the party that this protest was directed towards, the ACT New Zealand Party stated in response to the video. To ensure that all New Zealanders, regardless of their ethnicity, enjoy equal rights, we have proposed legislation. The haka was performed by the Māori Party, which supports a distinct racialised parliament, healthcare system, and educational system, among other things.
By giving tribes substantial rights to keep their land and safeguard their interests while agreeing to British rule, the Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed in 1840, established guidelines for the government’s relationship with the Māori. The goal of the measure is to give every New Zealander equal protection.
When Maipi-Clarke performed the haka at her first parliamentary address in 2023, she became the youngest Member of Parliament in New Zealand and attracted a lot of attention.
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