NZ Parliament Suspended As Indigenous Maoris Reject Bill

On Thursday 14th of November 2024, New Zealand’s Parliament was temporarily suspended as Māori lawmakers led by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke performed a haka, a traditional dance, demonstrating their community’s fear and anger over a bill that aims to reinterpret the country’s founding treaty with its Indigenous people.

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is just 21 years old. This is what being Indigenous mean. Regardless of the invaders, you should remain resolute to your Ancestry ways, Tradition, Culture and language. This has nothing to do with being primitive, or illiterate. Many countries in Europe, Asia, do not speak English, Japan, China, Denmark, Czech etc. Does this make them illiterate or primitive? The Westernization and Europeanization of our identity has made us lost our voices, essence & commitment as Motherland people. This is why we are still struggling in Africa. The English who invaded New Zealand have taken the position of power, but the Mauri people of NZ remain committed, refused to betray or sweep away their identity, culture and tradition. They kept their spirituality, Tradition and culture intact, they speak Haka language especially when they revolt or do not want the invaders aware.

The Maori people who are one of the largest indigenous tribes in New Zealand, organize themselves, remain united on matters that will collectively affect their people and communities regardless of their political differences, and not to integrate or be like their Colonizers, but fought to keep the treaty agreement of their ancestors of over 180 years. Till this day, the Whites in NZ have not been able to take absolute control of the land.

Africans need to learn the act of organization just like the Maoris regardless of our tribal or political differences. Africans must rediscover who they truly were, we must go back to our roots and organize ourselves.