Thousands of people joined a march towards New Zealand’s national capital on Friday after a contentious bill that would reinterpret the country’s 184-year-old founding document passed its first hurdle in parliament.
Several rallies against the Treaty Principles Bill are being staged in towns across the country as a nine-day march, or hikoi, moves to Wellington. It is expected to reach the national capital on Tuesday.
An estimated 10,000 people marched through Rotorua, about 450 km (280 miles) north of Wellington, New Zealand police said in a statement. Protesters, some wearing traditional clothing, were greeted by hundreds waving the Maori flag and chanting.
They also staged a Haka. They’re dances intended to intimidate their enemies. Having seen them in demonstration, I would not want to see them from actually angry Maori. And they have a lot to be angry about.
That’s not exactly what the Haka is. They were often performed as a precursor to war, but not exclusively. They’re also used as a celebratory ritual, you’ll see modern day Maori doing a haka for kids graduating school for example.
Ok, fair enough. I admit I’m not all that familiar with Maori culture. It was described that way to me when I saw it and what I saw certainly was intimidating.
They were so angry they broke into a Haka while taring up the bill. I really like the Haka tradition
