New Zealand Maori politician suspended from parliament after haka protest
Three Maori MPs have been temporarily suspended from sitting in New Zealand's parliament for performing a ritual dance.
05.06.2025, 15:27
SDA
After months of discussion, parliament voted to suspend party leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for 21 days and MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven days. They will not receive their salaries during the suspension.
Last November, the Maori Party MPs performed the haka dance to protest against a proposed law which, according to critics, was intended to water down the rights of the indigenous Maori. Maipi-Clarke tore up the bill while chanting loudly, and the party leaders joined in the haka with their tongues out and eyes wide open.
In the meantime, the bill of the right-wing liberal party ACT was rejected. It was intended to reinterpret the country's founding document - the Treaty of Waitangi - which, among other things, regulates the Maori's property rights to the land.
Haka not fundamentally banned in parliament
The Maori Party criticized the suspension of its members. "Parliament has sent a message to our future generations: Your Maori identity is a threat to New Zealand democracy," it said in a post on Platform X. The haka was not a gesture of disrespect and intimidation.
According to a government committee dealing with the protest action in the New Zealand parliament, the ritual dance is not prohibited in principle. However, permission must be obtained from the speaker of parliament and the ritual must not hinder the work of parliament.
Important Maori ritual
The haka is considered one of the most profound and important rituals of the entire Maori culture. Today, it is performed on various occasions to emphasize their importance.
Originally from Polynesia, the Maori have settled on the islands of New Zealand since the 8th century. When the first Europeans arrived in New Zealand in the 17th century, violent conflicts over land and property soon broke out. Today, around 900,000 Maori live in New Zealand, which is just over 17 percent of the population. Although they are represented in politics, many Maori are still considered disadvantaged and live in poverty.
