Netizens were left surprised after seeing a video of an “angry” New Zealand MP circulating on social media. It turns out the MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, was performing the traditional Māori “haka” call. She previously performed the haka in Parliament in January 2024 as she was sworn in as an MP. But this time she again led the haka to tear up a copy of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill.

Parliament was briefly suspended on Thursday after Māori MPs followed Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke’s lead and performed a haka to disrupt a vote on the Treaty Principles Bill that sparked protests across the world. New Zealand. The bill proposes to change the way the Treaty of Waitangi – a 184-year-old treaty between the British Crown and the Māori people – is interpreted.

Starting in a low tone, Maipi-Clarke’s haka call grew louder as she took the Treaty Principles Bill and tore it in two. The New Zealand MP left her seat and walked to the center of the Parliament hall to lead the haka – rapid hand movements and raised fists – signaling the protest.

Despite widespread outcry, the bill passed its first reading and will now undergo a public submission process before another vote. The BBC reported that thousands of protesters are expected to march outside Parliament next week to voice opposition, highlighting the deep divisions the bill has sparked within New Zealand society.

The bill at the origin of the “anger” of the New Zealand MP

Last week, the ACT New Zealand The party, a junior partner in the country’s center-right coalition government, unveiled the bill, which aims to set out the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The party argues the bill will allow a more balanced interpretation of the treaty through Parliament rather than relying on the courts.

First signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Māori chiefs, the bill sets out how both parties agreed to govern. The interpretation of the document’s clauses still guides legislation and policy today.

However, critics say that if passed, the new bill will further divide the nation and undermine crucial support for Māori communities, the BBC reported.