Who is Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke? New Zealand's MP Whose Māori Haka in Parliament Went Viral

New Zealand MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke has once again grabbed headlines after a video of her performing the traditional Māori haka and tearing up a copy of a controversial bill during a parliamentary session went viral.

The New Zealand Parliament was temporarily halted when Te Pāti Māori (Māori Party) MPs staged a powerful protest against a bill that sought to reinterpret a treaty with the Māori people. The protest was sparked by Opposition MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who began performing a traditional haka in response to a question about her party’s stance on the bill.

Who is Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke?

The 22-year-old is the country’s youngest MP since 1853. She previously gained fame for performing a haka during her maiden speech in Parliament. Hana is seen as the voice of young voters in New Zealand. She is committed to protecting Māori rights and culture and supports using Indigenous knowledge to address climate change. She has vocally opposed New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government. Her great-great-great-grandfather was New Zealand's first Māori minister in Parliament.

Apart from politics, Hana also runs a Māori community garden and is involved in teaching school children about gardening. The MP has a strong social media presence with over 100,000 followers on Instagram.

About the Controversial Waitangi Treaty Bill

Last week, the ACT New Zealand party, a junior partner in the country’s center-right coalition government, introduced a bill aiming to alter certain principles of the Treaty of Waitangi—a move that has faced strong opposition from many Māori.

Originally signed in 1840 between the British Crown and over 500 Māori chiefs, the Treaty established the framework for governance between the two parties. Its interpretation continues to influence legislation and policy today.

However, the bill is widely seen by many Māori and their supporters as a threat to the rights of New Zealand’s Indigenous population, which makes up about 20% of the country’s 5.3 million people.

As the bill passed its first reading, hundreds of individuals began a nine-day march from the northern part of New Zealand to the capital, Wellington, to express their prote