Share and Follow
Key Points
- Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke became New Zealand’s youngest MP in October 2023.
- In her maiden speech to parliament, the 21-year-old peformed the Māori haka (war cry).
- She has vowed to protect Māori rights, as the country remains divided over changes announced by the new government.
In the resurfaced video, the chant reverberates around the parliamentary chamber as Māori MPs join in with the haka.
So what does NZ’s youngest MP stand for and why is this moment significant?
Who is Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke?
Maipi-Clarke told Time magazine she wanted to represent younger voters and politically re-engage them by making them aware of how political decisions affect their lives.
The NZ Herald reported that her great, great, great grandfather was New Zealand’s first Māori minister in parliament.
Why are there concerns about Māori rights in New Zealand?
He also wants to minimise the use of Māori language in the public service and repeal legislation that relates to Māori children in state care.
Meanwhile, Maipi-Clarke’s party of Te Pati Māori tripled its number of seats in parliament to six, or nearly 4.9 per cent of the legislature.
– With reporting from Reuters
