Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke vowed to serve her constituents in her inaugural speech, saying, “I will die for you… but I will [also] live for you.”
A young New Zealand lawmaker’s first speech was captured on camera, and the video went viral as she honored her indigenous heritage by doing the “Maori haka.” A 21-year-old Maori, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke became the youngest Member of Parliament in 170 years. She vowed to serve her constituents in her inaugural speech, stating, “I will die for you… but I will [also] live for you.”
In addition, she repeated parts of her Te Petihana anniversary speech, which resonated again in the context of the new government’s plans to restrict the application of the Treaty and te reo Māori in legislative matters (New Zealand Herald, 2013).
“I truly feel like I’ve already said my maiden speech outside the steps of Parliament last year,” Maipi-Clarke remarked, alluding to her previous speech outside Parliament for Te Petihana’s 50th anniversary, which stands for “the petition” where Māori groups advocated for national recognition and the revival of te reo Māori.
“Never quite fit in. You are flawless. You are ideal for this,” she continued.
According to a report in The Guardian, Maipi-Clarke views herself as a kaitiaki (guardian) for Māori language, land, and traditional wisdom rather than as a traditional politician. She feels that a fresh generation of Māori people need to be given a voice.
According to 100% Pure New Zealand, the haka was traditionally a way to welcome visiting tribes and a way to energize warriors before battle. It was an exhibition of physical prowess entwined with resilience, unity, and pride in culture.
Although termed as a Māori dance, the haka does not align with conventional dance forms. Typically executed in a group, it comprises “chanting, vigorous movements like stamping, hand gestures, and facial expressions”. The nature of the haka varies across tribal regions, often narrating significant events within an iwi’s (tribe’s) history.
Even now, the haka is still performed at important occasions like athletic events, marriages, funerals, and powhiri (traditional welcomes), and it is still seen as a sign of respect.
Maipi-Clarke is who?
Following the recent national elections, Maipi-Clarke, 21, became the youngest member of parliament for New Zealand in 170 years, according to a report by The Guardian. Her triumph meant deposing Labour’s highly esteemed Nanaia Mahuta, a senior Member who served as the first Māori woman to become minister of foreign affairs and who held the Hauraki-Waikato Māori electorate for twenty years.
Come from the town of Huntly, which is sandwiched between Hamilton and Auckland, Maipi-Clarke oversees a māra kai, a community garden in Māori that teaches local kids how to garden using the Māori lunar calendar, or “maramataka.” Her accomplishments are noteworthy despite her youth; in addition to owning a company, she wrote a book urging children to use the stars and moon as a source of self-healing.
In 2018, her grandfather Taitimu Maipi made headlines for protesting against the colonial legacy and mistreatment of Māori by vandalizing a statue of Capt John Hamilton, the city’s namesake. Her ancestor Wiremu Katene was the first Māori minister to the Crown in 1872. Her aunt Hana Te Hemara presented the Māori language petition to parliament in 1972.
