THE Pakistani politics represents dirty and abusive language, hatred, vulgarity and anti-state narrative and protests. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1950s and 60s introduced practically the strategy of non-violent protest in the US and secured a marvellous acceptability in the US society and state circles. On the other hand, Malcolm X adopted the violent strategy of protest chanting slogan, ‘ballet or bullet’ and was discarded by the majority of the US people. We the Pakistani or third world country nations learned nothing from such brilliant movements and philosophies. God shakes conscience again and again to educate a people to adopt a new positive direction in the political affairs and a new wave of this great message came to Pakistan from the New Zealand Parliament to convince the political leadership for mending their ways and create an environment of peace and harmony in Pakistan.
This protest also teaches the Pakistani people to embrace their cultural ethos and do a sincere politics with their voters. Maori people are original and indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand making 20 per cent of the New Zealand’s 5.3 million population that fought against the Colonists but ultimately concluded a treaty with the Britishers in 1840 and became part of the new social order. The new psyche, traditions, food, system and attitudes carved a grievous impact on the Maori people and reduced their numerical strength. The lawmakers decided to bring changes in the Treaty of Waitangi and sought opinion from different parties on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. As the Speaker asked Hana Rawhiti for the opinion of her party, Te Pâti Mâori on the bill she stood up and started performing Haka and tore the paper of the legislation on 14 November 2024.
Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, a 22 year old author, politician by the family tradition and an elected parliamentarian of New Zealand Assembly, made a ceremonial Haka dance with loud and melodious chant in the Parliament to show a fierce resentment on a controversial bill being discussed in the Parliament to redefine the treaty between the British and Maori leaders in 1840. This bill was to damage the identity and rights already recognized in the Treaty of Waitangi as the conservative coalition government moved the bill on the ideology that no special status can be given on the ethnic basis and the government wanted equal status of all the New Zealanders. The other Maori members also joined Hana and expressed their defiance on the intriguing changes in the Treaty. This is the ever best protest in the world that was non-violent and based on the cultural ethos. After this protest, the Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, was forced to suspend the session temporarily.
The Haka dance in the New Zealand Parliament by young Hana Rawhiti has gone viral worldwide. Her facial expressions convey sincerity, commitment, purity, and unwavering enthusiasm for the cause of her community’s rights. Adopting the cultural style for protest popularized her. Her speech in the public gathering testified that her commitment to the Maori cause is unshakable. We in Pakistan always seem critical to our regional cultures and languages but the movement by the Maori tribe exposed as to how much culturist the factions are living in the western societies. They love their language, dress, traditions and customs. Even the modern Pakistani section and political parties are sharing this video correlating it with their own cause and right struggle although they hate the local cultures and languages. Most of the private modern schools and colleges in Punjab take Punjabi language and local dress as a symbol of derogation and ignorance. Can they learn something from this young girl? The Maori people have been on roads wearing the traditional dress or chanting the traditional Haka dance and songs which show the fury against the bill. We take the western societies as revolutionary and modern but still they honour the cultures, traditions and customs.
Once they concluded that violence is subversive and detrimental for the country and people, they abandoned it as Maori people are doing but in Pakistan the political parties, especially the youth, have been protesting violently. Even the top political leaders impart hatred and detestation in the minds of their followers. Religio-political partiers are going to the same direction. Once, a Maori member was interrupted for not wearing a tie in Parliament, which infuriated the Maori community. Haka dance translates the strength, anger and unity of the Maori people on the cause. This dance is also observed on some special event or festival but with full reverence and spirit and it carves a big impact on the audience and viewers because of the genuine and true enthusiasm. The Maori dance was done to show unity and adherence for the aggrieved when the Muslims were killed by an extremist New Zealander in the Mosques.
—The writer is a research scholar, Principal of Govt Islamia Graduate College, Lahore & author of book “Punjab: An Anatomy of Muslim-Sikh Politics”.
