The Parliament of New Zealand was brought to a temporary pause when its MPs began to perform the traditional dance of the Haka, people in the gallery joined in. This outburst was provoked by the controversial bill, which seeks to replace the country’s founding treaty with the people of Maori. The traditional ceremonial chant was initiated by New Zealand's youngest MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke who ripped up a copy of the bill after being asked whether her party supported the legislation. Act, the political party, who have introduced the bill, says there is a need to legally define the policies outlined in the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which has been fundamental to race relations in New Zealand. Some feel the core values of the treaty have, over time, merged into New Zealand's laws in an effort to correct the past transgressions against the Māori people during colonisation and as a result of this has divided the nation by race. Although the indigenous people of New Zealand disagree and believe the passing of this bill will jeopardise their rights if . A Hikoi, peaceful protest march, to the capital, set to last 10 days was planned by the Maori and has begun.
