New Zealand: Why Maori Lawmakers Perform War Dance 'Haka'?
Maori lawmaker Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke protested a bill in New Zealand’s Parliament, sparking nationwide protests.
A video of a M?ori lawmaker, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, performing a powerful 'Haka' dance and tearing a bill in New Zealand’s Parliament has gone viral, shocking the country. Maipi-Clarke, who represents the M?ori people and is the youngest MP in New Zealand, protested against the "Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 2024," which she believes could undermine M?ori rights.
The protest took place on November 14, 2024, during the first reading of the bill. Maipi-Clarke tore up her copy of the bill and performed the ‘Peruperu Haka,’ a traditional M?ori dance symbolizing anger and fear, to express her opposition. The bill, proposed by New Zealand’s conservative coalition government, seeks to extend the Treaty of Waitangi to all New Zealanders, but M?ori leaders argue that it will weaken the protections for their community, which still faces poverty, poor health, and high imprisonment rates.
Maipi-Clarke’s dramatic protest caused a disruption in Parliament, with Speaker Gerry Brownlee calling it disrespectful and suspending the session. However, her protest sparked large-scale protests across the country, with thousands of M?ori people marching in traditional attire in cities like Wellington, demanding stronger protections for their rights.
The incident has highlighted the deep racial tensions in New Zealand and raised critical questions about the future of the Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement signed between the British and M?ori people in 1840 to ensure M?ori rights and protections. The bill is a key point of contention in New Zealand’s politics, with ongoing debates about its impact on the country’s indigenous population.
