Marie Krarup er god nok
‘Grotesque’ slur for powhiri stirs shame for Danes
DANES LIVING in New Zealand are appalled at ‘‘ embarrassing’’ comments made by a right-wing Danish politician about Maori welcomes she faced in New Zealand.
Krarup was part of a delegation of the Defence Committee of the Danish Parliament who visited last month. They were welcomed at Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base on March 4 with a powhiri at the base’s Te Taua Moana Marae.
She said she was shocked to be welcomed by a dancing, ‘‘ halfnaked man’’, instead of a handshake or salute.
‘‘ When we came to a naval base, we were not received with a handshake or salute by uniformed men as usual,’’ she wrote.
‘‘No, we were welcomed with a Maori dance ritual, with a halfnaked man in grass skirt, shouting and screaming in Maori.’’
Krarup said the man performed ‘‘ strange rituals and poked his tongue out’’.
She said she felt like an ‘‘idiot’’ when giving a hongi, and was relieved to catch a kiss on the cheek by an officer instead of the traditional nose touching.
When it was time to sing, Krarup said the waiata from naval personnel sounded like a Danish children’s song about a happy ladybird. She said it was accompanied by a ‘‘ kindergarten- teacherguitar-accompaniment’’.
The marae, or ‘‘ Maori temple’’ as she termed it, was a form of cultural self-destruction.
‘‘ It was decorated with deities with angry faces and large erect penises,’’ she said.
‘‘ It’s a mystery to me that the poor naval officers could endure both the ceremony and the surroundings.’’
Dorthe Siggaard, 49, who has lived in New Zealand for 12 years, said Krarup does not represent what Danes think about Maori culture.
‘‘Of course this is embarrassing – we are not proud of these comments,’’ she said.
‘‘Krarup is against anything to do with Islam, immigration – anything. It is no surprise she has made comments about indigenous people.’’
Siggaard, who has raised her children here, said she loves the multiculturalism in New Zealand.
‘‘If you move to New Zealand, you have chosen it, and you love what it is here. Multiculturalism is so interesting – she doesn’t really understand.’’
Krarup is a member of Parliament for the Danish People’s Party, which is described as a very right-wing party by political commentators. Its goals are to protect the freedom and cultural heritage of the Danish people, and limit immigration.
Soren Eriksen, 33, a brewer behind the successful Blenheim outfit 8- Wired, said Danes and Kiwis usually had similar mindsets.
‘‘Most Danes are open to other cultures. Danes are people that like to travel and experience other cultures [but] this party likes to keep it close to home. It is a very narrow-minded Danish party.’’
Broadcaster Willie Jackson said it was ‘‘sad’’ to hear ‘‘views are based on ignorance’’.
‘‘We regard our powhiri as very special. Maybe she didn’t have it explained to her properly. It is hard to believe she would have such ignorant and offensive views. I have travelled a lot and I don’t condemn anyone’s culture. There are always different ways and reasons for doing things and that sort of view assumes that her culture is somehow superior and that is a very sad perspective.’’
In an opinion piece in Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende, Marie Krarup said a powhiri welcoming her was an ‘‘uncivilised’’ ritual, and a marae was a ‘‘grotesque’’ mark of multicultural worship.
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
DANES LIVING in New Zealand are appalled at ‘‘ embarrassing’’ comments made by a right-wing Danish politician about Maori welcomes she faced in New Zealand.
Krarup was part of a delegation of the Defence Committee of the Danish Parliament who visited last month. They were welcomed at Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base on March 4 with a powhiri at the base’s Te Taua Moana Marae.
She said she was shocked to be welcomed by a dancing, ‘‘ halfnaked man’’, instead of a handshake or salute.
‘‘ When we came to a naval base, we were not received with a handshake or salute by uniformed men as usual,’’ she wrote.
‘‘No, we were welcomed with a Maori dance ritual, with a halfnaked man in grass skirt, shouting and screaming in Maori.’’
Krarup said the man performed ‘‘ strange rituals and poked his tongue out’’.
She said she felt like an ‘‘idiot’’ when giving a hongi, and was relieved to catch a kiss on the cheek by an officer instead of the traditional nose touching.
When it was time to sing, Krarup said the waiata from naval personnel sounded like a Danish children’s song about a happy ladybird. She said it was accompanied by a ‘‘ kindergarten- teacherguitar-accompaniment’’.
The marae, or ‘‘ Maori temple’’ as she termed it, was a form of cultural self-destruction.
‘‘ It was decorated with deities with angry faces and large erect penises,’’ she said.
‘‘ It’s a mystery to me that the poor naval officers could endure both the ceremony and the surroundings.’’
Dorthe Siggaard, 49, who has lived in New Zealand for 12 years, said Krarup does not represent what Danes think about Maori culture.
‘‘Of course this is embarrassing – we are not proud of these comments,’’ she said.
‘‘Krarup is against anything to do with Islam, immigration – anything. It is no surprise she has made comments about indigenous people.’’
Siggaard, who has raised her children here, said she loves the multiculturalism in New Zealand.
‘‘If you move to New Zealand, you have chosen it, and you love what it is here. Multiculturalism is so interesting – she doesn’t really understand.’’
Krarup is a member of Parliament for the Danish People’s Party, which is described as a very right-wing party by political commentators. Its goals are to protect the freedom and cultural heritage of the Danish people, and limit immigration.
Soren Eriksen, 33, a brewer behind the successful Blenheim outfit 8- Wired, said Danes and Kiwis usually had similar mindsets.
‘‘Most Danes are open to other cultures. Danes are people that like to travel and experience other cultures [but] this party likes to keep it close to home. It is a very narrow-minded Danish party.’’
Broadcaster Willie Jackson said it was ‘‘sad’’ to hear ‘‘views are based on ignorance’’.
‘‘We regard our powhiri as very special. Maybe she didn’t have it explained to her properly. It is hard to believe she would have such ignorant and offensive views. I have travelled a lot and I don’t condemn anyone’s culture. There are always different ways and reasons for doing things and that sort of view assumes that her culture is somehow superior and that is a very sad perspective.’’
In an opinion piece in Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende, Marie Krarup said a powhiri welcoming her was an ‘‘uncivilised’’ ritual, and a marae was a ‘‘grotesque’’ mark of multicultural worship.
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx