New Zealand introduces new Maori greeting for tourists: a headbutt
A Maori cultural performer taking part in a traditional welcoming ceremony reportedly headbutted a Dutch tourist and broke his nose because he thought he was laughing at him.
The SMH reports that Maoris dressed in traditional costume and wielding spears often perform welcoming ceremonies at New Zealand tourist centres with a dancing challenge, in which visitors are invited to pick up a feather or twig token placed at their feet to show they came in peace.
Dutchman Johannes Scheffers was warned that any sign of laughter would be seen as disrespect when he was chosen to represent a party of 160 visitors at the Tamaki Tours cultural village in Rotorua, the prosecution told the local court today.
During the final part of the ceremony, Scheffers “gave a nervous grin with no intention to be disrespectful”, said police sergeant Jim Broom, according to the New Zealand Press Association report.
Richard Minarapa Mitai-Ngatai, 40, then stepped forward and head-butted him, fracturing Scheffers’ nose.He was remanded for sentence next month.
Tags: dutch_tourist, maoris, new_zealandRelated Stories
POSTED IN: General stupidity
1 opinion for New Zealand introduces new Maori greeting for tourists: a headbutt
rodney
Dec 15, 2005 at 4:33 pm
if your ignorance in traditional matters has something to be of little importance to you then i suggest maybe an educational visit to new zealand would be the best thing for you.If by any chance you are satisfied by what you see then im sure this little news story will be of little significance to the over-all gentle nature and hospitality of the maori people.Its not the matter at hand that is dumb its the news item itself.Thankyou.
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