New Delhi: The first sight at this woman’s speech would make you wonder over whether she is a Parliamentarian or some rabble rouser or some mimicry artist, regaling the members with her antics.
Surprisingly, she is none of them, rather the youngest Member of New Zealand Parliament. In the viral video, she is speaking her heart out about people’s problems & concerns and not creating chaos as it seems prima facie.
The 21-year-old Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is New Zealand’s youngest MP in past 170 years.
Last year, she dislodged Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand’s one of the most veteran politicians from Hauraki-Waikato seat and got elected to power.
She is a member of Maori community and has been vocal about the betterment of her community.
New Zealand natives’ speech in parliament pic.twitter.com/OkmYNm58Ke
— Enez Özen | Enezator (@Enezator) January 4, 2024
Her speech inside the Parliament which went viral says, “I will die for you … but I will also live for you.”
New Zealand Herald quoted her saying, “To the tamariki Maori who have been sitting in the back of their classroom their whole life, whakama, waiting generations longing to learn their native tongue. Never fit in. You are perfect. You are the perfect fit.”
The young MP hailing from small town Huntly, runs Maori community garden that educates children about gardening.
Another international daily described her not as politician but as guardian of Maori language.
“I was given some advice before making it into Parliament, to not take anything personally … Well, I can’t help but take everything personally that has been said in this Chamber,” she said in her speech.
“To every person that is watching from home… this isn’t my moment, this is yours,” New Zealand MP said in her closing remarks.
Maaipi-Clarke is immensely popular on social media too. She has 20,000 followers on Instagram and 18,500 on TikTok.
