Haka in parliament: This young politician from New Zealand goes viral. You need to dress warmly: it’s Santa’s chocolate throat

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, 21, is the youngest female MP elected to New Zealand’s parliament in 170 years. When she took office, she performed a traditional Māori dance called a haka.

Maipi-Clarke’s inauguration and this performance were already three weeks in the past; the following scenes are from December 12 last year. Only now are the scenes going around the world.

As an MP, Maipi-Clarke now wants to fight for Māori rights and recognition. They are the indigenous people of New Zealand and have a distinct culture. Their Hakas are ritual dances. These are not – as is often wrongly assumed – merely warlike in nature.

Different regions, different content, different hakas

For example, the haka performed by Maipi-Clarke – loudly supported by her supporters in the stands – was different from that of the legendary All Blacks rugby team before their matches.

The haka is usually performed in groups. Typically it is an expression and representation of a tribe’s pride, strength and unity. The movements are accompanied by impressive facial expressions, including those of Maipi-Clarke and the supporters in the stands.

Māori want to rename New Zealand

In the 2023 general election, the Māori Party received a 3.1 percent vote share and a total of six seats. In 2021, a petition was filed to officially rename the Pacific state “Aotearoa”. In addition, Māori names must be reintroduced for all cities and place names by 2026. (lso)

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