Maori MPs sing war chant in parliament
Date
11/17/2024 6:55:50 AM
(MENAFN) New Zealand's parliament was briefly suspended on Thursday after members of the Maori Party staged a protest against a controversial bill on tribal rights. The protest, led by Maori Party MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, saw her tear up a copy of the bill before performing a traditional Maori war chant, the Haka. Other Maori Party MPs joined in, and even opposition lawmakers and spectators in the gallery participated.
The bill, introduced by the libertarian ACT party, aims to narrow the interpretation of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which has historically defined the rights of New Zealand’s indigenous Maori population. The ACT party argues that the treaty discriminates against non-Maori citizens, while Maori leaders assert that it guarantees important rights, such as land protections and financial reparations.
Despite the protest, the bill passed a vote and will now go to public consultation. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, although opposed to the bill, saw his National Party vote in favor due to a coalition agreement with ACT. The National Party, as the largest coalition partner, holds significant influence, with ACT and New Zealand First as junior members.
This isn’t the first time that Maori MPs have used the Haka to protest in parliament; in 2021, co-leader Rawiri Waititi was ejected from the legislature for performing the chant during a debate on a separate healthcare system for Maori citizens.
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