Wellington, Nov 20 (Alliance News): Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in New Zealand’s capital on Tuesday to protest a proposed bill by a conservative coalition government aiming to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi, the nation’s founding agreement signed in 1840.
More than 35,000 people flooded the streets of Wellington, disrupting traffic and making their way to Parliament.
The demonstration was led by indigenous Maori, with chants of the traditional haka reverberating through the city.
Bare-chested men adorned in feather cloaks were joined by horse riders carrying the red, white, and black Maori flag, while children marched alongside adults with distinctive Maori tattoos and ceremonial weapons.
The protests were sparked by a bill drafted by a minor party in the conservative government to alter the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi, a foundational document that established the relationship between the British Crown and the Maori people.
Though the bill is unlikely to pass, its introduction has ignited one of the largest indigenous protests in New Zealand in recent years.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, a 22-year-old Maori Party MP, dramatically tore up the bill in Parliament last week and performed a haka on the floor of the debating chamber.
She later joined the protesters outside Parliament, telling them, “We are the king makers, we are the sovereign people of this land and the world is watching us here.”
Critics of the bill, including legal experts and Maori leaders, argue that it undermines the rights and agreements established by the Treaty.
“It’s not the best way to have a conversation. We will not accept unilateral change to a treaty that involves two parties,” said Ngira Simmonds, an advisor to New Zealand’s Maori queen.
The rally in Wellington followed a nine-day protest march, known as a hikoi, which began at New Zealand’s northern tip.
Demonstrators continue to demand respect for the Treaty and reject attempts to redefine it without full consultation with the Maori people.
