Maori party co-leader Rori Waititi was expelled on Wednesday (12.05.2021) from the New Zealand Parliament for performing the “haka”, a traditional Maori dance of defiance, in protest of the party’s “racist rhetoric and propaganda”. About two weeks ago, National Party leader Judith Collins attacked New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her search for ways that indigenous peoples could better exercise their rights. The Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard, blocked Ngarwa Packer’s question, who made it clear that the suspension was outside the Prime Minister’s responsibility, allowing Collins to continue the discussion. Uneasy, the Speaker of the House asked him to sit down, but the Maori legislator performed the ceremonial Haka dance. About 850,000 of New Zealand’s 5 million residents are Maori, although a large portion of the population live in poverty or financial insecurity, as well as face social problems.

Source: The Guardian January 22, 2022 08:23 UTC