Māori Lawmakers' Haka Disrupts Parliament Over Treaty Bill
On November 14, 2024, New Zealand's Parliament was dramatically disrupted when Māori lawmakers performed a haka during a session to protest a controversial bill aimed at reinterpreting the Treaty of Waitangi. The bill, introduced by the ACT New Zealand party, has faced criticism for threatening Māori rights, inciting widespread public protests including a hikoi, or protest march, to the capital, Wellington. The protest in Parliament, led by Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, underscored the intensity of the debate over the treaty's principles, calling attention to wider societal issues regarding Indigenous rights and New Zealand's colonial history.