Wellington: New Zealand’s Parliament was briefly suspended on Thursday after people in the public gallery broke into an unsanctioned haka, a traditional Maori dance, moments after the newest Maori Party MP, Oriini Kaipara, delivered her maiden speech. The incident, which was caught on video, quickly went viral online.
NEW: New Zealand parliament suspended after an unplanned haka broke out following newly elected PM Te Pati Maori's Oriini Kaipara's speech.
Kaipara: ✋😵💫
Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee: "No, not that. The guarantee was that would not be taking place... Unreal."
Kaipara:… pic.twitter.com/36YMOJUhyH — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 9, 2025
Kaipara, who joined Parliament in September to fill a vacant seat, made her first official address to the House amid chee