(Adnkronos) – A haka against a bill. The New Zealand parliament erupted today in heated debate, personal attacks and a protest in the form of a typical Maori dance to challenge a controversial legislative proposal that wants to radically change the way the New Zealand treaty that regulates relations between the Maori and the crown is interpreted.
The bill was tabled by the Act New Zealand party – a junior partner in the New Zealand government coalition – and passed its first reading. The vote was momentarily suspended when opposition parties and people in the gallery joined in a haka led by a parliamentarian who tore up the copy of the document being voted on. The text aims to overturn a series of established principles dating back to the Treaty of Waitangi – an agreement signed in 1840 between more than 500 Māori chiefs and the Crown.
The proposed law has sparked a strong public reaction. Thousands of people are taking part in a nine-day protest march this week. Starting from the tip of the North Island, the protesters are expected to arrive in Parliament on Tuesday 19 November. More than 40 New Zealand lawyers have written an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Attorney General Judith Collins, urging them to waive the law.
According to the New Zealand newspaper The New Zealand Herald, Maori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who launched the haka, was sanctioned by House Speaker Gerrie Brownlie, who strongly contested her behaviour.
