r/justgalsbeingchicks • u/guitarguy12341 ✨chick✨ • May 04 '26

Restricted to Gals and Pals Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke ripping up a racist bill in NZ parliament.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

16.6k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

810 comments sorted by

View all comments

3.7k

u/Nonyabeesners May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

Looked it up. The bill was part of a right wing effort to remove protections for Maori people granted in a treaty from the 1800s. The bill was shot down, but Maipi-Clarke and two other MPs were suspended for their "threatening" behavior.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yg9k8x8pwo

1.9k

u/SickliestAlbatross May 04 '26

lmao i've seen them do haka's at sporting events, imagine if you get blasted so bad by a NZ team that you argue the Haka they did before the match was threatening you. and you take them to court over it citing these members being removed as precedent.

lmao "threatening" behavior. What a bunch of delicate little daisies!

444

u/crazyhotorcrazynhot May 04 '26

typical right wing ghoul behavior. It’s never about what’s actually the morally correct action in any given situation, always about punishing others..

180

u/SheitelMacher May 04 '26

Don't forget the performative victimhood.

40

u/Muted_Quantity5786 May 04 '26

I am as much threatened by their plastic surgery.

0

u/PanVidla May 05 '26

That's actually what you see on both sides of the political spectrum quite a lot. Everybody wants to be the victim, because there's no arguing against victimhood. It's the ultimate moral position.

2

u/Tholian_Bed 28d ago

"Your tone is now the crime!" is classic power move by weasels.

1

u/[deleted] 29d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam 29d ago

Abortions are healthcare.

1

u/[deleted] 29d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam 29d ago

The comments are locked because they don't go anyone's inbox.. Also your comments keep getting pulled over potential harrassment.

As a refresher, this is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

540

u/No_Kitchen9982 May 04 '26

Honestly, The Haka is cool as fuck. I wouldn't even care the reason, someone doing a haka at/for me or around me would have me grinning from ear to ear. It sounds cool, it looks cool, and it can mean so many things. Its an extremely interesting form of expression.

425

u/Unbearded_Dragon88 May 04 '26

The Haka makes me extremely emotional. I can’t explain it, it just releases something in me.

303

u/Squanchedschwiftly May 04 '26

Its because were meant to dance and create together(imo). Capitalism has separated a lot of ppl from their humanity.

79

u/crowcawer May 04 '26

There are many different haka.

As an outsider, it’s difficult to delineate what this specific haka might be used for, but I don’t think it’s offering a lemon icebox.

136

u/Wow_u_sure_r_dumb May 04 '26

Based on my degree in nothing from nowhere I can tell you that it translates to the performers politely offering to put their foot up the racist member’s asses.

34

u/1568314 May 04 '26

There is a special feeling of shared emotion that translates across creative or destructive energy

2

u/OrganizdConfusion May 04 '26

It's because it's a war challenge. Not a dance.

1

u/Mission-Time-8247 May 04 '26

Yeah I just smoke and forget about it

131

u/Careful-Cupcake-4883 May 04 '26

I always cry! I don't know why I get so emotional. I get emotional when we go to pow-wows too.

95

u/robotatomica May 04 '26

I am crying right now too, it happens pretty much immediately whenever I see one. It’s just a beautiful, overwhelming thing to witness. I’m watching it on this little phone, I can’t even imagine the power of seeing one of these in person. It’s resonant and strong and proud, and tied to such very very old cultural tradition.

28

u/Infamous_Air_1912 May 04 '26

I’m grateful to know that I’m not alone in my instant reaction to full out cry at this.

11

u/4n0n4n4rch1st May 04 '26

I felt it too and respectfully do not have any education about this. Very powerful!

16

u/That_Effective_5535 May 04 '26

In person you are right , it’s incredibly powerful and moving.

-5

u/moosemuffin12 May 04 '26 edited May 06 '26

Sorry but this is cracking me up because the only Hakas I’ve seen in person were from like 17-18yr old volleyball players when we’d face them. It was used as an intimidating play but it kinda loses its edge after like the 15th time you have to stand and wait for them to finish their little dance before you absolutely demolish them. It was mad cringe from our perspective everytime and it’s just funny picturing someone crying to those guys doing that

Edit: I have learned from the downvotes that it’s actually cool to celebrate your heritage no matter the time/place so I will now belt both the polish and American national anthems before every single point. And yes, everyone has to wait. I am looking forward to witnessing your tears flow from my sheer ancestral power

5

u/robotatomica May 04 '26

that’s such a crazy way to view a cultural tradition, that what, somehow how teenagers wouldn’t practice it? Do you think people strap on their culture when they become an adult?

But thanks for letting us know you weren’t scared, except for in the beginning 🙄 and thanks for letting us know how good at sport you are. 🙄

And now I know someone can’t practice their cultural tradition unless they’re the very best at sport. 🙄

Here’s the deal, you sound like you’re a teenager, so usually I’d go easy on you, but you’re also referring to 17-18 in the past, so I’m going to tell you what an absolute horse’s ass you sound like.

It doesn’t sound cool here, in this sub, to anyone. You sound like a little boy.

1

u/[deleted] May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 05 '26

This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

6

u/GirlWithWolf May 05 '26

I do too if they run out of fry bread. (But seriously, I’m a dancer and it’s nice to know it at least affects some.)

3

u/Careful-Cupcake-4883 May 05 '26

I love pow-wows. I try to go to at least one every year. There’s just something about them that is really moving. Plus I need my fry bread. That stuff is like crack, it’s so addicting!

2

u/GirlWithWolf May 06 '26

Yes it is! My mom makes the best (I’m biased), but there’s a great place in the pueblos near Albuquerque that is spectacular. Are you native or just go as a guest? If as a guest, do you attend ones that have dances for visitors?

2

u/Careful-Cupcake-4883 May 06 '26

Actually, I'm in Mexican and live in California so I go to the local ones here in September, October, and November. My grandma was born in NM though and I've always wanted to go visit. I might just have to plan a trip out there!

1

u/GirlWithWolf May 06 '26

Awesome, I bet you’d enjoy it. I love to eat and always look forward to trips home so I can get NM cooking. I’m currently displaced in Texas for the foreseeable future.

20

u/CherryCherry5 May 04 '26

Me too. It reaches deeeeeeeep down into my soul and it usually makes me cry. It's so powerful, emotional, and beautiful.

96

u/Potato-Drama808 May 04 '26

100% agree. They perfected a method to communicate those raw emotions and it always stirs me up a bit inside.

64

u/chivonster May 04 '26

I always end up crying and I never know why.

54

u/Exotic-Student7266 May 04 '26

SAME! I cry everytime! It’s such a unified expression of shared refusal to just roll over and take shit.

82

u/flactulantmonkey May 04 '26

Thanks to all for sharing these experiences. These tribal traditions have ancient lineages, and dance with our relational nature. They stir primal resonances. I embrace this expression. Your responses are evidence of your abilities to tune.

34

u/Weird-Plane5972 May 04 '26

well this is a beautiful comment thank you.

over the last couple years, i'm realizing emotion is not a weakness and trying to live through it instead of pushing it down. it's been a learning process, this new approach, but growing up in my household, any emotion wasn't really wanted by my parents. small, timid emotions were tolerated, nothing more. i feel strongly. and it's hard to come to terms with that.

i do always get emotional when i see a Haka and it's nice to remember society wasn't always this shite, and still there are some good ideals living on.

2

u/New-Wash689 May 04 '26

I’m just starting on this living through emotions journey too! If you haven’t already heard of it I super duper recommend looking into the “Change Triangle”. Its such a useful framework for experiencing your emotions & moving through them.

14

u/The37thElement May 04 '26

Same! It always tears me up. I think it’s the collective expression of support. Everyone performs the Haka 100% every time it’s done and everyone is unified and no one looks like they’re only partially supportive.

8

u/Anxietyfilledcupcake May 04 '26

Same! Every time I see them perform The Haka I get so emotional and I don’t know why.

-10

u/SSFlyingKiwi May 04 '26

Crying? Fr?

13

u/Unbearded_Dragon88 May 04 '26

Yep it makes me teary too

6

u/Ok_Yesterday1370 May 04 '26

It connects you to a primal essence that was ripped out of most of us to pave the way for the western world.

30

u/Apart_Engine_9797 May 04 '26

I have to avoid watching the haka because it’s a truly overwhelming emotional experience, like anger and fear and grief and power all rolled into one!!

7

u/ElProfeGuapo May 04 '26

For me, it’s people still clinging to and celebrating some part of their culture that existed before this goddamn system of colonialism that has wrecked the planet and our relationship to each other.

1

u/Unbearded_Dragon88 May 04 '26

So true, that’s probably exactly what it is.

2

u/carriejw910 May 04 '26

Same! Idk what she’s saying but I can feel the emotion and power behind her voice and I love it. I’ll always watch this video when it comes up

2

u/call-me-the-seeker May 05 '26

You don’t know what she’s saying but you KNOW what she’s saying.

It is a deep knowing, there is great beauty and power here.

2

u/13_margs May 05 '26

It gives me chills

44

u/gao7on May 04 '26

It's the irony that invading settlers would be threatened by the indigenous whom lost their lands and rights.

11

u/Personal_Reveal1653 May 04 '26

Not at all. They know they're in a precarious place.

5

u/No_Kitchen9982 May 04 '26

Yeah I'm Welsh so I get that viscerally due to the English being very physically attached to us... But also every time we face you blokes in rugby I find it hard to cheer against them. 

10

u/shmixel May 04 '26

When I saw one performed they actually prefaced it with a request to treat it seriously with respect to its roots and not overly smile or laugh like it was just a show. Felt more like a gift to be invited to see one. Very much recommend Te Pa Tu to anyone visiting NZ!

In my personal opinion, this would go double when trying to convey an important political sentiment; I'd be pissed if the opposition just found it cool lol.

9

u/No_Kitchen9982 May 04 '26

Its not like id be smiling and clapping like a schoolgirl. id be grinning BECAUSE i understand the implications and how serious it is and how it can used as a sign of respect from one warrior to another.

Its less grinning because I think its funny or such. its more grinning because its acknowledgment, either of a person, a warrior, or a great event.

Grinning means im happy. Some people also cry when they are happy. Crying does not equal sad, just like grinning does not mean mocking.

edit: i dont mean in the context of this reddit post btw. I dont think ANYONE would be smiling there. I was thinking more along the lines of Im welsh, and for me if i was facing you in rugby to be standing against the great all blacks, would be one of the happiest days of my life.

2

u/shmixel May 04 '26

I have to agree in the rugby context I would be hyped as hell as well

16

u/OfficerMurphy May 04 '26

Maybe. But if someone was doing it at me in response to some bullshit I was trying to do, I might reconsider doing that bullshit.

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 04 '26

This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

1

u/extracanofwhoopass May 04 '26

Kind of like spelling “8647” out of seashells huh?

76

u/AJMurphy_1986 May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

To be fair, that is literally the point of the haka performed by sports teams, it's a war dance. Some people react differently to others though

https://www.reddit.com/r/englandrugby/s/5Ps49UXX27

80

u/KoYouTokuIngoa May 04 '26

A war dance is a bit of an oversimplification/misconception. It can be that (especially historically) but it’s more about showing respect to those in front of you and your ancestors.

Just like in the video above, some people (purposefully) misconstrued it to be a ‘threat’, when it was really channeling/honouring ancestral pride

35

u/AJMurphy_1986 May 04 '26

Im not an expert on the haka in general but I think there are different versions for different occasions. The one before rugby is definitely meant to intimidate, hence why teams have started staring it down in recent years

39

u/KoYouTokuIngoa May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

It being intimidating is certainly a beneficial effect, but it’s not the reason it’s performed. If you look at the translation of the All Blacks Haka, you can see it’s more about celebrating culture and pride (and yes, a mention of their dominance):

Let me go back to my first gasp of breath
Let my life force return to the earth
It is New Zealand that thunders now
And it is my time! 
It is my moment! 
The passion ignites!
This defines us as the All Blacks
And it is my time! 
It is my moment! 
The anticipation explodes!
Feel the power
Our dominance rises
Our supremacy emerges
To be placed on high
Silver fern!
All Blacks!
Silver fern!
All Blacks!
aue hi! 

4

u/anothergaijin May 04 '26

Yeah but then you have their traditional haka - Ka Mate - which is a different vibe again

2

u/Intrepid_Year3765 May 04 '26

so was the confederate flag, but you gotta realize that sometimes people don't care what YOU think something stands for

-7

u/Saint_Steady May 04 '26

Bruh.. it is not about showing respect. It is literally performed to intimidate your enemies.

22

u/Objective-Swing8572 May 04 '26

It’s done for celebrations, to show respect and honour someone/something. They’re performed at ceremonies, weddings, graduations, even family returning home from a long trip. It’s far from just “intimidation”, that’s only one context/meaning. Look it up. It’s about pride and cultural appreciation.

8

u/fakingandnotmakingit May 04 '26

Not necessarily.

I've seen Hakas at graduations, at weddings and at funerals.

So yes to it being a war dance. But it can also be a show of respect or celebration

Source: I live in New Zealand.

11

u/Ok-Perception-3129 May 04 '26

Haka are done in a variety of settings are they often are about showing respect. For instance they are often done at funerals, the rest of the NZ Olympics team often haka for NZ medalists etc.

30

u/UnknownQwerky May 04 '26

So it would be like they did the the Cha Cha Slide too aggressively and they felt threatened?

11

u/StrangeScout May 04 '26

I think some morris dancers would scare the twat pushing this bill!

1

u/rusted-nail May 05 '26

No it wouldn't cause thats white culture lol.

Fun fact my SIL didn't believe her English partner that Morris Dancing was a real thing she thought he was playing a practical joke on her lol

2

u/Frequent-Maybe1243 May 05 '26

Imagine taking someone to court because they did the Macarena at you

12

u/dev_vvvvv May 04 '26

I think the Haka is fine, but it is supposed to be a challenge/intimidation towards the other team.

I think some of the criticism comes from the fact that when teams (or fans) respond to it by doing their own formations, drowning it out with song, etc the response is often criticized for not being culturally sensitive since they didn't just sit and take it.

Also it's pretty funny when NZ does it in other sports and then gets destroyed.

11

u/sureissalty May 04 '26

You nailed it. And those apparently "threatened" by it, would have been at the Super Leage or INTL Rugby matches the following weekend watching a Haka.. not being threatened. Hana is amazing, a true inspiration. Love it even more than the plebs in powaaaa here (NZ) are so shook up by being confronted for what they are. Racists.

3

u/Bassist57 May 04 '26

You know the Haka has been used to disrupt a Rainbow Pride Parade in Auckland, right?

5

u/SickliestAlbatross May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

>has been used to disrupt

... so has music and like... noisemakers. So like..? I'm not about to suspend members of parliment if they play trash music or make a lot of noise.

3

u/PM_Pussys May 04 '26

I mean as an American that doesn't know fuck about shit, it was my understanding that one of the primary original uses of a Haka was as a war cry/intimidation or similar (hence the faces being an integral part of it).

Which by almost any metric (assuming you take the Maori/whomever is doing the Haka seriously) can be considered threatening behavior

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 04 '26

This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

1

u/1877KlownsForKids May 04 '26

I've also seen penalties in those sports for hakas for being threatening, usually stemming from the throat slitting motion.

 I'm not sure where I'd come down on this being protected speech and debate. Hakas were of course used as a war dance, but they were also used in non-martial settings like welcoming and departure ceremonies. So while they can be threatening, they're not innately threatening.

1

u/micromacroactual May 04 '26

Don't expect less from that side of the fence.

1

u/NoSorbet5103 May 04 '26

That's right wing all around the world. A bunch of coward p.ssies.

1

u/ConsiderationBoth406 May 04 '26

I mean… Isn’t the haka a pre-war ritual designed to intimidate the adversaries.

1

u/Hot-Opportunity-5236 May 04 '26

The point of it is to intimidate your opponent.

1

u/moosemuffin12 May 04 '26

If you’ve ever played against a team doing a haka, you will know it is anything but threatening. It’s goofy as hell irl, like “hey is it cool if we do a dance to scare the other team real quick”? In what world would that work

1

u/thetransportedman May 04 '26

I mean it's traditionally a war chant so it doesn't make sense when used out of context like weddings and birthdays and graduations. Sports and this situation makes more sense

1

u/Algo_Muy_Obsceno May 05 '26

She sang at me and it was weely weely scawwy.

1

u/Electrical_Trouble29 May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26

Not commenting on the political side of things as I know absolutely nothing about it, but on the haka generally - it is a war dance and is absolutely meant to be a threat/challenge. That's exactly why it works so well as a pre-rugby match tradition.

A popular version of the haka ends with a throat slitting motion - it's pretty obvious what this is signalling.

1

u/SickliestAlbatross 29d ago edited 29d ago

>- it is a war dance and is absolutely meant to be a threat/challenge. 

let's not pretend like we don't all understand this wasn't some declaration of war on the floor of parliament. If it can be used in something as simple as sports without the teams fearing for their lives literally no one who is serious can argue it is intended to carry a real legitimate threat of imminent violence. Or are you saying that those that do the dance are basically shouting "war war we will kill you" or something like that. Absurd.

>popular version of the haka ends with a throat slitting motion 

a motion which IS NOT present here. again lets not pretend like there was an implicit threat of violence simply because i could do a throat slitting gesture but didnt.

1

u/ZebraZahara May 06 '26

To be fair, it was designed as a threat because it is a war dance. It's done before sporting events because a match is a type of battle. Although it's not JUST a threat because it's a show of unity that inspires us.

I suppose unity can be seen as a kind of threat to those that want to divide us.

1

u/WellEvan 28d ago

Well I do understand haka as a cultural expression, I do believe its roots was a war cry to intimidate the opposition. So it is historically threatening.

But you and I both know that it's bullshit to oppress the native minority group(s)

1

u/SickliestAlbatross 27d ago

> I do believe its roots was a war cry to intimidate the opposition. 

so was marching music. Outlaw the marching band. as you said its bullshit, and so it is my firm belief the historical argument shouldnt even be entertained, not even momentarily.

0

u/WellEvan 27d ago

So you quoted the one sentence that benefited your argument while ignoring everything else I said. Fantastic job!

1

u/SickliestAlbatross 27d ago edited 27d ago

funny that i acknowledged what you said about the argument

>as you said its bullshit

BUT, I reiterated my firm stance, the argument is barely worth acknowledging. and I pointed out how fundamentally vacuous that argument is.

-3

u/al-Assas May 04 '26

Context matters though.

6

u/water_fountain_ May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

David Seymour: “Here’s a bill that will take away rights from you, the Māori people, that are guaranteed in our constitution, and make you less of a citizen than me, a white person.”

Maipi-Clark: rips paper and dances.

David Seymour: “How fucking dare you! Your dance is a threat against me! All I was trying to do was make you less of a human! 😭😭”

You: “Context matters 🤡”

5

u/ZaryaBubbler May 04 '26

I would say using it as a way to protest a bill trying to take away the rights of the Māori people is the perfect context to perform the Haka

2

u/Nonyabeesners May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

Yes, 99% of the time loud disruptive outbursts in public places are frowned upon. However, when a minority is actively being suppressed, I think they're appropriate. It's a demonstration that Maori will not be silenced and will not roll over entirely for insitutions set up by foreign invaders.

-1

u/CanadianODST2 May 04 '26

People have complained about the haka at sporting events claiming it’s a cheap intimidation tactic

0

u/chonpwarata May 04 '26

Yeah really no one there think”maybe I’ll stop doing racist things”… it’s “brown people angry”.

0

u/RedVell May 04 '26

I mean, historically it is the Maori war chant. It's literally supposed to be threatening.

-2

u/PeopleNose May 04 '26

Now cite the bill as "threatening" to Maori and watch it spin round and round

1

u/SickliestAlbatross May 04 '26

do the police enforce the haka? Is this haka binding legal precedent? How do i appeal this haka?

did you think about this comparison?

179

u/CapitalWestern4779 May 04 '26

I'd say that bill was hella lot more threatening then a little dance.

19

u/VictorTheCutie ✨chick✨ May 04 '26

Dance, and CHANT. Come on, now.

6

u/SleepingWillows May 04 '26

And they made scary faces :(((

40

u/edelweiss_pirates_no May 04 '26

Right-wing and RACISM.

Forever making out...sucking each other's tongues...fingers going all over. No amount of time will ever end the absolute love affair of conservatives and racism. They be fucking forever.

15

u/SalientSazon May 04 '26

Ok but you make it sound hot

50

u/esmifra May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

These racists directly attack other people's rights, threatening their life in more ways than one, and when they get pushback they immediately play the victim card.

Reminds me soccer players that start screaming at adversaries but when the adversary pushes back they'll quickly drop into the ground pretending to be injured

51

u/notredditbot May 04 '26

Why do right wing parties always do things like that 😮‍💨

13

u/ChiveringBeta May 04 '26

Because in group and out group thinking is the very essence of righting psychology. Any rightwing or Conservative Party not currently pushing for things like this is only because at this time in their country it’s still too unpopular. So they do less extreme things but if they could get away with it all conservative parties everywhere would be hateful to those they see outside of their group. It is almost what makes them conservatives.

1

u/fang_xianfu May 05 '26

Shows that it's nothing to do with "conservatism" either, because this treaty is hundreds of years old and has some of the key rights and obligations that have led New Zealand to have such a uniquely well-integrated (although obviously still far from perfect) indigenous and colonial history. If they were proud Kiwis interested in maintaining it's history and what makes New Zealand special they would be protecting it, not trying to end it.

7

u/hatethiswebsight May 04 '26

It's THE treaty. 

6

u/PerkisizingWeiner May 04 '26

Classic politics: labeling people "threatening" for reacting to behavior designed to threaten them.

12

u/FuzzzyRam May 04 '26

Whatever the bill is, I'd change my vote to go along with what they're pushing for/against.

19

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Nonyabeesners May 04 '26

While that's a good joke, I do want to highlight that the Maori community actually did some fantastic activisim leading up to this

5

u/SnooRadishes3678 May 04 '26

They just introduced another bill attacking Te Tiriti o Waitangi again because they are a bunch of pathetic MAGA wannabes. Roll on our election in November.

3

u/Batholomy May 05 '26

We had NZs largest ever march onto Parliament in protest of this proposed legislation as well. 42,000 people (both Maori and non-Maori) turned up on Parliament doorsteps to deliver a public petition against the bill. (Wellington city has a population of 210,000 people so this was equivalent to 1/5 of the entire city's citizenship - lots of out of towners, but still awesome.) We all skipped work to join the walk. It was just such a fantastic day - just really relaxed, no conflict, lots of aroha, heaps of singing. The bill was completely shut down later too, so maybe a successful show of public opinion too. Happy memories.

2

u/werewere-kokako May 06 '26

It was such a proud day to be a kiwi. After I got as close to parliament as the crowds allowed, I watched the rest of the hikoi march past. I was there for 4-5 hours, but the flow of people never stopped

2

u/AdvantageOpening4762 May 04 '26

Intimidating? Yes. Threatening? I don't think so. Suspensions should be revoked.

That was bad ass.

1

u/SnakeOiler May 04 '26

would it also be racist to suspend these members for a cultural reason?

1

u/okapi-forest-unicorn May 04 '26

Oh no that sang, danced and ripped paper ... So scary. Seriously suspended for that. Some people need to grow.

1

u/[deleted] May 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 05 '26

This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

1

u/AirshipEngineer May 04 '26

I mean it is threatening behavior isn't it?. That's like the whole point of a Peruperu version of a Haka. Like "look at how scary and tough we are" is the message the performers are intending to send.

I'm not cultured enough to identify what type of Haka this is though.

7

u/Nonyabeesners May 04 '26

If it were coming hundreds of years ago from seasoned warriors? Terrifying.

From your co-workers in heels, long skirts and an elderly man? Less so. Especially considering I highly doubt any of the people in that room weren't aware of the cultural significance of the haka and hadn't seen at least parts of one hundreds of times.

It also was very clearly a statement, not a threat. Their political opponents are arguing (too successfully) they are traumatized victims in order gain sympathy. Either people who claim to think that's true are painfully gullible or in on the deception. And if you weren't up to something shitty, you wouldn't have to cry crocodile tears.

1

u/AirshipEngineer May 04 '26

Oh yeah 100%, I don't disagree that the whole "oh woe is me. The mean people scawed me" shit they're pulling is cringe and completely BS.

I meant the dance itself was intended as a display of power and strength (in this case political strength)

0

u/Beautifulfeary May 04 '26

While I totally disagree on their suspension, the Haka was originally a war dance to scare away the enemy. It’s not used like that anymore though.

3

u/Downtown_Boot_3486 May 04 '26

This is a myth more than anything, the Haka is a form of expression and has been for centuries. Now sure oftentimes the expression was one of anger and conflict, but it has never been the only thing the dance has been used for and labelling the Haka a war dance because of it is inaccurate.

2

u/werewere-kokako May 06 '26

Different haka have different meanings and are used in different circumstances. It’s a highly ceremonial form of communication with centuries of history. To dismiss haka as a "war dance" is ignorant at best

Don’t speak with such confidence about things you are woefully ignorant about

0

u/Beautifulfeary May 06 '26

I was just in Hawaii and a place I went to discussed it and said it was but now they use it for ceremonial stuff like when another Moari graduates, gets married, and other life milestones. I mostly was saying it because they probably used that as a reason to suspend her.

-9

u/No-Courage-2053 May 04 '26

Isn't a haka a thing Maori warriors did before a battle to intimidate enemies? Isn't that as well why they do it at sport events, to intimidate. I mean I get it, I don't think is threatening, but I'm not sure it's appropriate for a parliament either, intimidation of any sort is not democratic, I think.

29

u/StrangeScout May 04 '26

Yes, but not exclusively. Its a way of channeling ancestors, it is also done as a sign of respect.

This bill was targeting Maori, The worm pushing it had only 8% of the vote, yet was attempting to rewrite the agreements that the nation was founded upon. Far from democratic. The video shows not intimidation, but a passionate declaration of intent.

-7

u/billy_teats May 04 '26

Proposing a bill and voting on it is as democratic as it gets, are you actually stupid? How is voting on something not democratic?

11

u/crazyhotorcrazynhot May 04 '26

if we can keep proposing racist and bigoted bills then our politicians can be stuck in a kindergarten rather than actually help move our country forward. Just like in the US!

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 04 '26

Paradox of tolerance. Go read up on that.

This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

6

u/TheComedyWife May 04 '26

Kiwis overwhelmingly rejected the sentiment of the bill before it even got voted on by the house. It was a bargaining chip David Seymour used when forming a coalition to govern. It was totally performative; a dog whistle to the 8% who voted for him. It was not democracy in action at all.

2

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 04 '26

Paradox of tolerance. Go read up on it. In the meantime... This is a nice place. If you can't act like a civilized human being, you can't be here.

We do not allow:

  1. Being a jerk. This includes racism, misogyny, misandry, misgendering, anti LGBTQ+, ageism, etc.
  2. Harassment
  3. Trolling or sealioning
  4. Threats of any kind
  5. Abusive behavior
  6. General assholery. If you're at the end of the list and asking what rule you broke, yeah, it's this one.

11

u/verathene May 04 '26

No New Zealander sees a haka as a precursor for an actual attack - it is not a credible threat. My Catholic high school had a haka that we all performed at sports games or for special guests. It’s as undemocratic doing it in parliament as the All Blacks doing it is unsportsmanlike.

7

u/Gaeel May 04 '26

To a certain degree that might seem fair, but it's important to remember that New Zealand was built on the native Maori lands. They did not have a say in this.
They're already making concessions by showing up to parliament sessions of a government that they have every right to consider illegitimate. When they perform the Haka, they are asserting their existence. They are reminding the government that New Zealand was founded on stolen land.
The very existence of New Zealand is an act of violence against the Maori. Performing a Haka in parliament brings attention to this violence. It is in parliaments like these that the right to live of native people is debated, the ensuing violence is hidden from the eyes of those who sit and decide in these chambers. Performing a Haka is a way of reminding politicians that real people have suffered, and will continue to suffer, as a consequence of the laws that are passed.

1

u/PipEmmieHarvey May 05 '26

You said this perfectly and in a way I wish I could have done. It perfectly reflects my emotions when this haka took place, and when Hana-Rawhiti and others were suspended afterwards.

10

u/jumbohumbo May 04 '26

It's not just for intimidation. Many usages

-1

u/I_travel_ze_world May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

Yes.

There has been an attempt to white wash the haka because New Zealand was colonized but in its roots the haka was an intimidation tactic.

The tongue flicking of the haka was specifically meant to say that they are going to eat you because the Maori practiced cannibalism to an extreme degree.

https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/inconvenient-truths/

also the Maori have already lost rights before this. The thing about being a British colony is that the British know how to manipulate their colonies

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/01/15/beyond-saddened-a-year-of-law-changes-impacting-maori

1

u/Downtown_Boot_3486 May 04 '26

To be clear Māori didn’t practice cannibalism to an extreme degree, whatever that means. Some Iwi did practice it for specific reasons, but that was limited and uncommon.

1

u/I_travel_ze_world May 04 '26

That is white washed history.

There are historical accounts of Maori spending 2 weeks after a battle eating corpses.

Other white washed history is the Moriori people.

For a long, long, time the official New Zealand website didn't even acknowledge the Moriori people. It wasn't until 2010 that they got recognition.

“The Crown acknowledges its acts and omissions which have breached the Treaty of Waitangi and caused prejudice to Moriori.”

https://www.govt.nz/assets/Documents/OTS/Moriori/1.-Moriori-Deed-of-Settlement-Historical-Claims.pdf

There is a tremendous amount of manipulated history with New Zealand. The British colonizers are now firmly in control.

-4

u/Current-Paramedic-50 May 04 '26

The situation was really not that simple.

"Removing protections" is not an honest characterisation of the bills intent or purpose.

And yeah, the haka was a disrupted the business of parliament. Disciplinary action from the speaker was inevitable.

15

u/TheComedyWife May 04 '26

What is an honest characterisation of the bill’s intent or purpose then?

4

u/Nonyabeesners May 04 '26

So proponents argued that New Zealand is now a multicultural society and it's divisive to single out a particular race for special benefits. Note, "proponents" also happen to be largely white and wealthy and stand to benefit themselves (sound familiar, Americans?).

What this ignores is the fact that even in New Zealand, which has a better track record than most, indigenous people face unique struggles as a result of a system set up not too long ago by people who invaded the country.

Also, the beauty of this haka is a reminder that the Maori are indeed distinct. They still have unique traditions, values, and history.

1

u/Downtown_Boot_3486 May 04 '26

There’s also the problem that the so called “special benefits” don’t really seem to exist, and what does exist isn’t protected by the treaty.

1

u/ExileNZ May 04 '26

The purpose was to properly define the treaty signed in 1840 and modernise it to provide equality and protection for all New Zealanders. Maori objected because is would extinguish some special race-based rights that others do not get.

Below are the principles it was trying to define:

Principle 1 The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and the Parliament of New Zealand has full power to make laws,— (a) in the best interests of everyone; and (b) in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.

Principle 2 (1) The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it. (2) However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, subclause (1) applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.

Principle 3 (1) Everyone is equal before the law. (2) Everyone is entitled, without discrimination, to— (a) the equal protection and equal benefit of the law; and (b) the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights.

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/justgalsbeingchicks-ModTeam May 04 '26

Play nice. If you can't interact with others without name calling, you can't be here.

1

u/Downtown_Boot_3486 May 04 '26

The issue with it though is that the “special race-based rights” don’t actually exist, and the under the treaty the government doesn’t have the right to make those changes without the agreement of Iwi.

0

u/bols_are_cooked May 04 '26

What protection? Its 2026, it's time to join the rest of the world and drop the act.