• Three Māori lawmakers suspended for performing a haka during a parliamentary protest.
• Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi suspended for 21 days; Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven days.
• The suspensions are the longest in New Zealand’s parliamentary history.
• The protest was against the Treaty Principles Bill, aimed at redefining Māori rights.
• Government lawmakers rejected calls for lighter penalties amid a heated debate.

On Thursday, New Zealand's parliament voted to suspend three Indigenous Māori lawmakers, a decision that marks a historic disciplinary action in parliamentary history. Te Pāti Māori (Māori Party) co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi received 21-day suspensions, while fellow MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke was suspended for seven days. This unprecedented decision follows their performance of a haka during a parliamentary session last November to protest the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, which aimed to redefine the principles of the 1840 treaty between Māori chiefs and the British Crown, a move many saw as a potential erosion of Māori rights, according to Reuters and BBC.

The performance of the haka interrupted parliamentary business and drew significant attention, causing the privileges committee to recommend the lengthy suspensions for actions deemed potentially "intimidating" to fellow lawmakers. The three lawmakers' actions were described as a pivotal protest against a bill that had sparked nationwide outrage and led to large demonstrations, reflecting ongoing tensions regarding Māori rights under the current conservative government, as noted by India Times, NPR, and Al Jazeera.

The debate over the suspensions was charged, with government members dismissing opposition suggestions for lighter penalties. As Waititi addressed the parliament holding a symbolic noose, he drew parallels between their treatment and historical injustices faced by Māori ancestors, expressing resolve that "we will not be silenced." This incident underscores the ongoing struggles of Māori in New Zealand politics and the complexities of governmental responses to Indigenous expressions of culture and protest, according to TRT Global and Dawn.