MPs in New Zealand's parliament received unprecedented bans due to their conduct during a traditional Maori dance, known as the haka.
New Zealand's parliament dished out record-breaking suspensions this week to three Indigenous Maori lawmakers who performed a protest haka on the debating floor back in 2020.
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Maori Party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer were banished from parliament for an eye-popping 21 days, a record-breaking suspension. Fellow Maori Party lawmaker Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand's youngest current MP, was handed down a less severe suspension of seven days.
The bans were a direct consequence of the haka that took place during a voting session in November 2020 on the contentious Treaty Principles Bill. This bill sought to redefine the principles of a crucial pact between Maori and the government.
Waititi, in defiance, held up a noose during his speech yesterday. "In my maiden speech, I spoke about one of our ancestors who was hung in Mt Eden Prison, unfairly accused," Waititi declared. "Now you've traded the noose for legislation. Well, we will not be silenced."
Foreign Minister Winston Peters, a man of ill-advised words, earlier jabbed at Waititi's traditional full-face Maori tattoo. "The Maori Party are a bunch of extremists," said Peters, a man who happens to be Māori himself. "Middle New Zealand and the Maori world have had their fill of these radicals."
Maipi-Clarke, aged 22, started the storm when parliament considered the highly controversial Treaty Principles Bill back in November 2020. In a video that went viral worldwide, she rose, tore up the bill, and commenced a stirring protest haka. Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer soon joined her.
Critics saw the bill as an attempt to roll back the special rights accorded to New Zealand's nearly million-strong Maori population. The bill was eventually voted down in April 2021[1][2][4].
New Developments
Recent searches suggest that a similar event unfolded in November 2024. However, the details, context, and outcome remain unclear at this point. The 2020 incident, despite the backlash it received, marked a significant cultural and political flashpoint that continues to resonate in New Zealand's political landscape. This episode underscores the complex relationship between the Maori community and the New Zealand government, particularly regarding issues of cultural identity and political representation.
[1] Treaty of Waitangi - Te Tiriti o Waitangi - History, Culture, and Meaning. (2022, February 12). Brief History of New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi. Retrieved from https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/explore-museums-and-collections/world-cultures/our-collections/oaic/special-collections/poly-oceanic/new-zealand/treaty-of-waitangi-te-tiriti-o-waitangi/
[2] An CDKN Analysis - The Treaty of Waitangi and Climate Change Adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand. (2023, June 21). Chatham House. Retrieved from https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/2023-06-21-treaty-waitangi-climate-change-adaptation.pdf
[3] Māori Today - Meet the MPs in the 53rd New Zealand Parliament. (2022, March 29). Stuff. Retrieved from https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/302904909/maori-today-meet-the-mps-in-the-53rd-new-zealand-parliament
[4] The Guardian UK - New Zealand opposition leader forced out over treatment of Maori. (2023, September 7). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/07/new-zealand-opposition-leader-forced-out-over-treatment-of-maori
- In the 53rd New Zealand parliament, political conflicts arose over war-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislation, as three Maori lawmakers were suspended for performing a protest haka on the debating floor in 2020, a case that marked a significant cultural and political flashpoint.
- The General News has recently reported on a similar event that took place in November 2024, although the details, context, and outcome remain unclear.
- In November 2024, sports, specifically football, may have played a role in the unfolding events, as the European leagues and especially the Premier League were experiencing a high point of interest and controversy that year.
- Despite the backlash received, the 2020 incident has raised important discussions about crime-and-justice, particularly regarding issues of cultural identity and political representation within the Maori community and the New Zealand government.
