**New Zealand MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke Stirs Parliament with Haka and Treaty Bill Protest**

Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand's youngest Member of Parliament in over a century, made headlines on November 14 when she dramatically ripped up a treaty bill on the floor of Parliament, subsequently leading a haka. This act, which might have seemed surprising to outsiders, was met with immediate and knowing support from fellow Māori MPs. The bill in question sought to reinterpret clauses in the historic Treaty of Waitangi, originally signed 184 years ago between the Crown and Māori chiefs.

Maipi-Clarke's public display was not her first. In her parliamentary debut speech in December 2023, she also performed a haka, affirming her commitment to Māori rights and culture. Inspired by her activist grandfather, Taitimu Maipi, and her grand-aunt, Māori language advocate Hana Te Hemara, Maipi-Clarke has positioned herself as a voice for young voters and a staunch defender of indigenous rights.

The ripped document held substantial weight: it was a proposal altering the original terms of the Treaty of Waitangi. The historical treaty granted land rights to Māori tribes in exchange for governance by the British, but the proposed changes aimed to extend those rights to all New Zealanders. Deputy Prime Minister-designate David Seymour argued for this reinterpretation, likening it to objections against Affirmative Action in the United States by suggesting Māori people hold privileges not available to other citizens.

Maipi-Clarke's protest echoes the dramatic actions of American politicians like Nancy Pelosi, who famously tore up a State of the Union speech by President Donald Trump in 2016. The New Zealand MP made her stance clear by tearing the bill before a vote could pass it into law, leading to her suspension from Parliament for 24 hours. This disciplinary action was declared by Speaker Gerry Brownlee, who branded her behavior as "grossly disorderly" and "premeditated."

Another significant moment occurred when Labor MP Willie Jackson was ejected from the chamber for calling Seymour a liar and refusing to retract his statement. Such instances draw comparisons to U.S. representatives who vocally opposed presidential statements without facing expulsion.

The controversy ignited large-scale protests, with tens of thousands of Māori community members participating in a peaceful march, or hīkoi, from the northern tip of New Zealand's North Island to Wellington. The protestors, totaling 35,000, demonstrated against the reinterpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi and in defense of Māori rights, marking a significant moment of unity and strength for their community.

Despite the protests, the bill passed its first vote on November 14, continuing a heated debate about Māori rights and their recognition in New Zealand's political landscape. This issue highlights the progress made for Māori people, such as the national celebration of Matariki, akin to the recent establishment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the U.S.

The resurgence of Māori identity and advocacy points to a more connected and vocal community, as noted by protester Shanell Bob, who emphasized the growing pride and awareness among younger generations of Māori.