Wellington: New Zealand’s Parliament was briefly suspended on Thursday after people in the public gallery broke into an unsanctioned haka, a traditional Maori dance, moments after the newest Maori Party MP, Oriini Kaipara, delivered her maiden speech. The incident, which was caught on video, quickly went viral online.
Kaipara, who joined Parliament in September to fill a vacant seat, made her first official address to the House amid cheers and celebration. Following her speech, MPs from across the political spectrum, along with audience members, sang a pre-approved Maori song to mark her entry. However, the celebration took an unexpected turn when spectators in the gallery launched into a spontaneous haka, a traditional Maori performance, with some MPs also joining in.
Session Suspended Temporarily Following Haka
House Speaker Gerry Brownlee immediately intervened, calling for order. “No, not that. The guarantee was that would not be taking place,” Brownlee said, asking participants to stop. When the haka continued, he suspended the session temporarily.
Under parliamentary rules, lawmakers and their supporters must seek permission before performing songs or haka within the chamber or public gallery. Brownlee later confirmed that he would investigate whether any MPs or parties had prior knowledge of the unsanctioned act, describing the gallery’s actions as contemptuous, reported Reuters.
Parliament resumed shortly afterward, but the episode has reignited tensions surrounding cultural representation and respect within New Zealand’s political institutions. The Maori Party, known as Te Pati Maori, has often used symbolic performances to assert Indigenous pride and challenge colonial-era norms in governance.
In June, three Maori Party members were handed historically lengthy suspensions for performing a haka during a heated vote on a controversial bill seeking to reinterpret the 184-year-old Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement between the British Crown and the Maori people. That legislation ultimately failed to pass.
The haka, once used by Maori warriors to prepare for battle or welcome visiting tribes, has since evolved into a globally recognised expression of New Zealand’s Indigenous heritage. Today, it is commonly performed at cultural events and sporting occasions, most famously by the national rugby team, the All Blacks.
