The six members of the 54th New Zealand Parliament who belong to Te Paati Māori (The Māori Party) have broken with tradition at the swearing-in of new MPs.
The parliamentarians changed the oaths they delivered during the swearing-in ceremony, offering allegiance to their people first, and then to the Crown.
Several wore traditional costumes, and some sang waiata (songs), or issued traditional challenges.
They all later approached the clerk of the House and swore allegiance to King Charles III, but the two caused further debate by referring to the monarch not as “Kingi Tiare,” the official reference to the king if spoken in Māori, but as “Kingi Harehare.”
Te Paati Māori co-Leader Rawiri Waititi told local media that Harehare was an alternative translation of Charles and that “Hare” is a word that can mean Charles in some areas of New Zealand and that he has an uncle called Charles whom he refers to as “Hare.”
However, it can also mean skin rash or sore, or “something offensive.”
Co-Leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said, “There are lots of meanings for lots of things.”
When asked if MPs were being “cute” by switching the reference, Ms. Ngarewa-Packer said, “Always. Always provocative”.
As part of the formalities to open parliament, MPs must swear allegiance to New Zealand’s head of state.
Given continued tensions over issues such as co-governance—promoted by the outgoing Labour government but strongly opposed by the incoming coalition—Te Paati Māori has long protested against swearing allegiance to the British monarch.
MPs can say the oath in either English or Te reo Māori (the Māori language) but are expected to stick to the official translation.
Protests Across the Country
Before Te Paati Māori made their stand, the day began with widespread protests across the country.Thousands of mostly Māori protesters took to the streets, objecting to policies they say will undo decades of progress on improving outcomes for Māori.
In many cities protesters blocked traffic on key roads, while in cities and smaller towns, they lined the streets, calling for the new tri-party coalition to scrap plans to review the Treaty of Waitangi, the country’s 180-year-old founding document which was signed between the Crown and Māori leaders.
Putting the principles of the Treaty to a public referendum was a major platform of one coalition partner, the libertarian ACT Party.
As part of coalition negotiations, National and NZ First, agreed to support a referendum bill through its first reading, but there is no real enthusiasm for the idea amongst any other party, making it unlikely to take place.
The new government has also announced it will instruct government organisations to reduce the use of the Māori language in government institutions; scrap anti-smoking legislation (when Māori are disproportionately affected by smoking-related illness); and dis-establish the Māori Health Authority at a time when other health issues also disproportionately impact Māori.
Nearly a thousand people marched on Parliament House in Wellington, while in Auckland—New Zealand’s largest city—protesters gathered at key freeway entry points waving Māori flags and carrying signs during the rush hour commute.
Many then got in cars and formed a procession into the city centre. Smaller protests were held in dozens of smaller centres such as Rotorua, where 400 protesters marched down the main street.
“We will not accept being second-rate citizens and being relegated backwards by this government,” Te Paati Māori Co-Leader Ms. Ngarewa-Packer said after the protests.
ACT Party Leader David Seymour has branded the party’s tactics as “divisive.”
