Three Maori MPs have been suspended from New Zealand's parliament following a protest haka performed during a sitting in 2023. The suspension comes after the MPs' participation in a haka during a debate on the Treaty Principles Bill, which aimed to redefine the country's founding treaty with Maori people. The MPs involved in the protest were Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Rawiri Waititi, and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, all members of the Te Pāti Māori or Māori Party. Maipi-Clarke, who initiated the haka, received a seven-day suspension, while Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer were suspended for 21 days. The haka was performed in response to a question about their party's support for the Treaty Principles Bill, which was ultimately voted down. The Treaty Principles Bill sparked significant controversy, with over 40,000 people protesting outside parliament during its first reading in November 2023. The bill sought to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, a foundational document in New Zealand's history that established the relationship between the British Crown and Maori tribes. The protest haka by the Maori MPs was seen as a symbolic act of defiance against the bill and its implications for Maori rights and representation. The suspension of the three Maori MPs highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding Maori representation and the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's political landscape. The outcome of this incident underscores the deep-seated issues related to Maori rights and the need for continued dialogue and understanding between different political factions.