Hana has a problem.

This is Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke.

The New Zealand Government.

Hana is the youngest member of the New Zealand Parliament and a representative of Te Pāti Māori.

Hana stands for Māori rights, cultural and land reclamation and tino rangatiratanga.

Authors Note: Nau mai, haere mai! Music and video are present throughout this story. Please wear headphones for the best immersive experience. Red text are links to external sources with more information.
Hover over links and photos to see more information about the term or what is pictured.
Play each song and feel free to continue scrolling.
Let's begin!

the māori parliamentary
party of new zealand

For months in 2024, the New Zealand Government Coalition had debated a bill that, in both Hana and Te Pāti Māori's eyes, threatened Māori sovereignty.



The bill proposes redefining the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of New Zealand. However, the ACT Party did not consult Māori during the process of drafting this bill, although claiming it would bring legislative clarity, fairness and legal equality for all New Zealanders, including Māori.

Hana saw through their false equality and empty platitudes.
This bill wasn’t about fairness at all, it was about control.



It handed over more power to the government while
stripping Māori of their rights to their own whenua.

whenua means "land"

e papa is usually
sung while
playing the stick game

this means "absolute sovereignty" or "self-determination"

keep an eye
on this guy

hover here
to see the
proposed bill

What happens next?

Māori hold just 6% of land in New Zealand and most of it is safeguarded in trusts, a system unique to Māori. Much of this reclaimed whenua is rich in natural resources.
If these trusts are dismantled under the guise of "equality"…

this is māori for "new zealand."
it means "land of the long white cloud"

click here

David Seymour is the leader of the ACT Party, a right-wing political group, currently part of New Zealand’s governing coalition.

David Seymour.

And behind it?

Hana knew that this power grab wasn't new.
This was history repeating itself.

Click below to listen to how David Seymour explains this bill.

How did we get here?

2 min~

David believes that the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi have been misinterpreted over time and by redefining them, all New Zealanders will be equal.

This bill has sparked outrage that has led to protests all across Aotearoa.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

hover over each
principle for
more detail

hover here
to see the articles from the treaty

hover here
to see the treaty.
click here to see the original treaty of 1840

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of New Zealand. It was signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori chiefs.

Although this agreement was said to have been made in good faith, the English and Māori versions are different in meaning due to the language barrier, interpretation and world view.

The English version states that Māori cede "all rights and powers of sovereignty" to the British Crown while maintaining ownership of lands.

(The Treaty of Waitangi)

The Māori version cedes "Kāwanatanga" (governorship) but affirms "Tino rangatiratanga" (sovereignty).

In 1975, The Waitangi Tribunal was established as an independent, permanent commission of inquiry in Aotearoa New Zealand, under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.
It provides recommendations to help the government rectify past injustices and uphold Māori rights under Te Tiriti.

In 1989, the Labour Government announced five Treaty principles. However,
the five principles were outlined as part of policy guidance, not being legally binding. Different governments, the Waitangi Tribunal, and the courts have interpreted Treaty principles in various ways over time.

Main concepts like sovereignty were translated into te reo Māori using words like kawanatanga, which carries a different meaning from a Māori perspective.

As a result, Māori chiefs believed they were agreeing to shared governance, not surrendering full authority. These text variations have caused disputes over its’ meaning and application, some leading to wars.

he kākano ahau is a song about the rich ancestry of māori and standing in your mana, literally translated to
"i am a seed"

hover for lyrics

The Crown actively discouraged the use of Te Reo (language), sometimes with punishment, and it was near extinction by the mid 20 ^th century.

Even with the creation of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1975, which helped with interpreting the treaty with new legislation, Māori are still disadvantaged in many socio-economic outcomes compared to other New Zealanders, and still fight to keep rights and revitalise
Te Reo Māori to this day.

The colonisation of New Zealand caused massive land loss across generations and has resulted in the deterioration of Māori cultural identity including the knowledge of whakapapa (lineage) and understanding of tikanga (customs).

Shortly after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, The New Zealand Wars (1843-72) and Taranaki Wars (1860-63) began, with disputes over land ownership.

Māori provided land for temporary settlement, but the English claimed it as their own. Land disputes turned into violent conflicts, leading to a bill that retaliated against Māori rebels.

A History of Breaches

Cultural Erosion

check out this song by stan walker, "māori ki te ao" meaning "māori to the world". it is about standing strong in māori identity. one of many songs that fight for reclamation, reconciliation and reconnection to māori roots.

Land Loss

The Crown seized land from Māori,
even from those who didn’t fight against them.

new zealand flag

The Treaty Principles Bill, introduced by David Seymour, aims to reinterpret tino rangatiratanga and remove existing Māori protections.

David claims he wants to give everyone tino rangatiratanga.
But what does this bill really mean?

tino rangatiratanga flag

With a history of continuously violating Te Tiriti, is it truly surprising Māori have a distrust for government?

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The haka is more than just a dance.

It is a declaration of strength, defiance, and unity.

Traditionally performed before battle, at a tangihanga (funeral), or during moments of deep significance, the haka is a physical expression of mana (authority, presence) and whakapapa (ancestry).

Many recognise the haka through the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team. The team usually performs Ka Mate, the most widely known haka, before their matches.

~ 1 min

On social media, the opinions were divided. Some praised Hana for her bravery. Others called her “unprofessional” and “embarrassing.”

The Media Blitz

“Parliament is a place where you are supposed to debate with words...if you have to do a Haka to get your point across maybe you don't have a good argument."

Insults and a haka in New Zealand parliament as MPs debate Māori rights bill

‘Temper tantrum’ in NZ parliament disguised in the ‘cloak of culture’

“This is all I know...is to be Māori, and we didn't get the opportunity to challenge the bill as much as we would have liked to...and we waited till the very last second."

click here

ew david

These reactions beg the question:

Why is the haka widely accepted in entertainment settings but deemed inappropriate in Parliament?

But Hana wasn’t performing for the politicians.
She was standing for her people.

News headlines followed suit:

Dismissing the haka as inappropriate in Parliament upholds a colonial mindset that marginalises Māori culture and Indigenous voices in spaces of power.

It reinforces the idea that Indigenous expression is unwelcome in institutions dictated by colonial rule.

This is an act of cultural suppression that upholds white supremacy.

Rawiri Waititi,
co-leader for Te Pāti Māori

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, MP for Te Pāti Māori

Hana's voice was heard far and wide.

Support was already on the way.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, MP for Te Pāti Māori

“Whatever we do next, all Indigenous people are relying on us. It's not just about us te iwi Maori, it's about us as indigenous people liberating ourselves..."

(March for the Treaty)

Hīkoi mō te Tiriti

Starting in Cape Reinga, the protest march drew crowds all through New Zealand all the way to the Wellington Parliament.

The message was clear:

“Te Tiriti is not up for debate.”

the distance marched
was 1,060 km and
took 9 days!

"toitū te tiriti" means "honour the treaty"

It surged through the crowd like a pulse.

The government could dismiss the haka in Parliament.
They could call it a tantrum.

But they couldn’t ignore the people.

The Hīkoi arrived into Wellington.

click play to set the groove

David Seymour watched on, surrounded by police.

Hana stood outside Parliament and gave an inspiring speech.

Photo: VNP / Louis Collins

Photo: NZ Herald

Photo: RNZ

1 min~

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

fun fact: 'wh' is pronounced as 'f' in māori

~ 3 mins

They arrived.

hover here

In Aotearoa's capital, Wellington, 42,000 people marched to Parliament.

More than 40,000 people joined along the Hīkoi path, marching through towns and cities of the North Island.

Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

"Whaka off our land" Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Photo: RNZ/Cole Eastham

Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

hīkoi means "walk" or "march"

this face is called a
pūkana, it is used to express strength and intimidation

As of February 2025, this bill is still in progress.
It has passed its' first reading and is at the select committee stage.

Oral submissions about the bill have been heard in January.
Now we wait.

aku raukura was written to "help young alienated Maori reconnect with their culture"

The Treaty Principles Bill rewinds progress.

It rewinds provisions designed to uphold Māori equity, to recognize historical injustices, and to protect Māori land and resources, which are now at risk.

This battle didn’t begin with this bill and won't end with Hana’s haka.

It is a fight that stretches back through generations of Māori resistance.

It is a fight against land theft, treaty breaches and the erosion of tino rangatiratanga.

It is a fight that will continue until Te Tiriti is upheld and respected.

Hana was named and suspended for 24hrs after performing the haka.

When the sovereignty of your people is at stake, these consequences mean nothing.

Hana, along with many others, are still continuing the fight against this bill.