WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A powerful and unsanctioned haka broke out in New Zealand’s parliament this week, forcing Speaker Gerry Brownlee to suspend the sitting after the traditional Māori war dance interrupted proceedings.
The outburst followed a maiden speech by Oriini Kaipara, a new Māori MP from the left-wing Te Pāti Māori party. As Kaipara concluded her address, supporters in the public gallery erupted into the haka — a traditional Māori performance marked by rhythmic stomping, chanting, and fierce expressions.
Visibly frustrated, Brownlee tried to intervene. “No, not that. The guarantee was that it would not be taking place,” he said, before suspending the session as the haka grew louder. Some MPs, including several white male members, were seen leaving the chamber amid the commotion.
Cultural Significance of the Haka
The haka is a cornerstone of Māori identity and one of New Zealand’s most recognized cultural expressions. Traditionally, it was used to welcome guests, rally warriors before battle, or celebrate major events. Today, it is performed at ceremonies, funerals, protests, and famously by New Zealand’s national rugby teams before international matches.
For Māori communities, performing the haka is a declaration of strength, unity, and cultural pride — an assertion of mana (authority) and rangatiratanga (sovereignty).
Why It Caused a Stir in Parliament
Under New Zealand’s parliamentary rules, any public performance — including songs or dances — must receive prior approval. While permission had reportedly been granted for a song following Kaipara’s speech, there was no authorization for a haka.
Speaker Brownlee later described the performance as “contemptuous” and announced an investigation into whether MPs or party members had advance knowledge of it.
This comes months after three Te Pāti Māori MPs — Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Rawiri Waititi, and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer — were suspended for performing a haka to protest the Treaty Principles Bill, a proposed reform that sought to reinterpret the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, the founding agreement between the British Crown and Māori chiefs.
A Symbol of Protest or Intimidation?
While critics, including Attorney-General Judith Collins, have described haka protests as “intimidating,” Māori leaders argue the opposite — that silencing haka in the nation’s legislature reflects systemic bias against Indigenous expression.
“The finding that our actions constituted intimidation sets a dangerous precedent,” Te Pāti Māori said in a statement earlier this year. “It frames Māori protest, haka, and the assertion of sovereignty as inherently threatening.”
About Oriini Kaipara
Kaipara, 42, made history as the first woman to anchor national television news while wearing a traditional Māori chin tattoo (tā moko kauae) — a sacred symbol of identity and womanhood. Her rise from journalism to parliament has inspired many across the country, particularly among younger Māori women reclaiming traditional heritage.
WATCH THE VIDEO
