Māori Lawmaker Performs a Haka to Protest a Bill in NZ

Māori Lawmakers Perform Powerful Haka to Protest NZ Parliament Bill That Redefines Indigenous Rights

A moment of defiance took place at the New Zealand Parliament, and quickly made headlines around the world. Māori lawmaker Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke performed a haka to protest a controversial bill that seeks to reinterpret the Treaty of Waitangi, a 184-year-old founding document of New Zealand. The project has sparked worries among Indigenous communities for what it could mean for their rights.

Maipi-Clarke first attracted attention as the youngest Member of the New Zealand Parliament since 1853, being sworn in at the age of 21. She also performed a haka during her maiden speech, in which she vowed to protect and support Māori youth. Maipi-Clarke has represented the Te Pāti Māori, a political party that advocates for Māori rights, since winning her place in the 2023 New Zealand general election. Now, the young politician seeks to uphold and protect the rights granted to Indigenous communities nearly two centuries ago.

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and more than 500 Māori chiefs. It lays out how the two parties agreed to govern, and its values have been woven into New Zealand's laws in an effort to make up for the wrong done to the Māori during British colonization. The document has made way for initiatives that expand Indigenous rights, such as making Māori an official language and guaranteeing representation in central and local government.

After Maipi-Clarke launched into the haka, other members of her party followed along, as did people in the gallery, momentarily drowning out others in the chamber, which caused the Māori lawmaker to be suspended from Parliament for a day. The haka is a ceremonial group dance featuring rhythmic movements, loud chanting, and facial expressions. It was popularized around the world by New Zealand sports teams to greet their fans and celebrate victories. And while it's usually performed in ceremonies, as a welcome, or as a celebration, this time it was used as a protest.

The bill, proposed by minor libertarian party ACT, aims for a narrower interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi in law, as some have argued that the treaty discriminates against non-Indigenous citizens, and the bill aims to see all citizens as equal under the law. However, critics to the bill say that it will lead to the undoing of much-needed support for the Māori, and they criticize the motives behind introducing a bill of this nature. Māori journalist Gideon Porter told Al Jazeera that most Māori view the ACT Party as “simply hiding its racism behind a façade of ‘we are all New Zealanders with equal rights’ mantra.”

In support of protestors, thousands of people gathered for a hīkoi, a communal march. They traveled 1,000 kilometers (about 621 miles) over the course of nine days. Ella Henry, professor of Māori Entrepreneurship at Auckland University of Technology, said, “We have gathered in our tens of thousands, not just Māori, but others who support an inclusive, diverse, equal partnership that our country has been a world leader in pioneering. Those are the people who are marching.”

While the bill has passed its first vote, experts say it's unlikely to garner enough support to pass into law.