New Zealand's parliament has been suspended for a short period when people in the public gallery broke into a haka after the newest member of parliament for the Māori party finished her maiden speech.
Te Pati Māori's Oriini Kaipara was elected to parliament in September to fill a vacant seat and made her first speech to the House on Thursday.
Following the speech, members of parliament from across the house and those in the public gallery sang a planned and approved Māori song to celebrate her arrival.
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The public gallery then erupted into an unsanctioned haka and some members of parliament joined in.
Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee asked them to stop the traditional Māori dance.
"No, not that. The guarantee was that would not be taking place," he said on Thursday.
When they continued he suspended the sitting.
Parliamentarians and political parties must get permission if they or their supporters want to sing or perform haka in the public gallery.
Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora! pic.twitter.com/ywsqhp5oDu
— Te Pāti Māori (@Maori_Party) November 14, 2024
Parliament later resumed and Brownlee said he planned to investigate whether any party or members of parliament had prior knowledge of the haka, describing the public gallery's actions as contemptuous.
In June, three members of Te Pati Māori received historically lengthy suspensions for performing a haka to disrupt the vote on a contentious bill that would reinterpret a 184-year-old treaty between the British and Indigenous Māori.
The bill has since failed to pass into law.
The haka was traditionally a way for Māori to welcome visiting tribes or to invigorate warriors ahead of battle.
It is now performed at important events as well as before matches New Zealand rugby matches.
Australian Associated Press
