New Zealand’s youngest MP, Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, is again making headlines, this time with an inspired protest blurring lines of cultural expression and political defiance. This 22-year-old MP for Te Pati Maori caught attention after she delivered a traditional haka and tore up a contentious bill copy during the recent session of the House of Representatives.
The piece of legislation that has made the indigenous Maori people angry, with much opposition, went viral when a certain Maipi-Clarke tore the Treaty Principles Bill apart during the session in Parliament. After tearing it apart, the MP conducted a haka, this culture war dance that says much of strength and unity of people. As she did her dance, the public gallery joined in, turning it into a very powerful cultural demonstration of resistance.
The protest led to Speaker Gerry Brownlee briefly suspending the House. A dramatic moment in New Zealand’s political discourse, the protest has reignited debates about the bill and what its implications will be for Maori rights.
Watch the video here:
🔥Unprecedented & simply magnificent. That time in Nov 2024 when a haka led by Aotearoa’s youngest MP 22yo Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke erupted in the House stopping the Treaty Principles Bill from passing its first reading, triggering the Speaker to suspend Parliament.… pic.twitter.com/pkI7q7WGlr
— Kelvin Morgan 🇳🇿 (@kelvin_morganNZ) November 14, 2024
Treaty Of Waitangi And The Bill’s Controversy
The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of the relationship of New Zealand with its indigenous people. It was initially signed in 1840 by the British Crown and by various Maori chiefs. The principles of the treaty continue to shape national policy today; however, the recently proposed Treaty Principles Bill would change some of the original principles by how it looked at the rights of the Maori.
Hard-lined Maori activists and supporters criticized the bill saying that it violates cultural heritage and disregards guarantees espoused in the treaty. Others also commented that this is a step backward for the struggle of indigenous people in New Zealand, which represents about 20% of the country’s population.
Political Reactions And The Road Ahead
The ACT New Zealand party-sponsored bill has proved to be greatly controversial. As it passed its first reading, hundreds of people launched a nine-day protest march, or hikoi, from the north of the country to Wellington in opposition to the bill. Although they both agreed to see the bill over its first reading, National Party and New Zealand First have both come out to confirm that neither wants the bill to pass as law.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has criticized the bill, stating that it oversimplifies many centuries of discussion and debate, before heading off to the APEC summit in Peru. His comments have fueled an increasingly intense debate over the future of Maori rights in New Zealand.
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