GS Paper -II

New Zealand’s parliament was suspended following a protest by the Indigenous Māori group’s legislators, who staged a “haka” or ceremonial dance against a contentious Bill.

What is the haka and why is it significant?

• The haka is of deep cultural significance to Māori identity and is traditionally performed by warriors on the battlefield or to welcome another tribe.
• Haka “was a show of physical prowess but also an embodiment of cultural pride, strength, and unity.
• It is usually performed in a group and involves chanting, dramatic facial gestures, hand movements and stamping the feet.
• Most recently, the haka made global headlines in 2019 when students from various schools – including non-Māori ones – paid tribute to their peers who died in the Christchurch shootings through it.

Other popular hakas include:

• Peruperu: A war haka performed before battle to intimidate the enemy and demonstrate strength.
• Ngeri: A short haka without set actions, often used to stiffen the sinews and uplift the spirit.
• Pōwhiri: A welcoming haka performed during formal greeting ceremonies.
• Manawa wera: A haka performed at funerals or memorial services to express grief.

Why was the Haka performed in New Zealand’s parliament?

• Despite the protest haka and a brief suspension, parliamentary session passed the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill tabled by the libertarian Act Party, a minor partner in New Zealand’s centre-right coalition government.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Treaty of Waitangi, the foundational document of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand).
• It was signed in 1840 by a representative of the British crown and 500 Māori chiefs.
• It promised the tribes broad rights to their lands and interests if they ceded governance to the British Empire.

What is the Treaty Principles Bill?

• The Bill is the brainchild of Act leader David Seymour, who said there is a need to legally define the treaty’s principles as it does not list specific principles, leading to liberal interpretations.
• For example, the 1975 Treaty of Waitangi Act created a tribunal for recording the horrors experienced by the Indigenous communities under colonisation.
• The Act party believes the country has been “divided by race, and the Bill will allow the treaty to be interpreted more fairly through parliament, rather than the courts.”
• The Bill does not intend to rewrite the treaty but seeks a referendum and intends to extend it equally to all New Zealanders.
• Critics say this would make the treaty pointless, threaten Māori rights and promote anti-Māori rhetoric.