'Savages' barb saddens Maori group

A leading Rotorua kapa haka group's performance at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo has prompted a flood of racist jibes to the event's official website.

Te Arawa group Ngati Rangiwewehi was among the international groups invited to take part in the 50th anniversary of the event, held in 2000.

However, some disgruntled Scots, concerned that more non-white performers could be invited to perform at this year's event, have turned on Maori, labelling them "savages" and criticising past Zulu and Aborigine performers.

The complaints followed rumours that a Harlem rap group had been invited to take part this year.

Contributors accused organisers of "dumbing down" performances by Maori and Zulu groups in recent years.

One contributor, "Christine", said Maori were the "same savages that cannibalised our missionaries in the Pacific Islands".

And they were one of a number of "cultures that have achieved little in the long history of man and only benefited once they were colonised under the British Empire".

"Spare us their barefoot dancing and the right din that they shout out on the hallowed esplanade of Edinburgh Castle."

One man said the crowd was not impressed by the South African Infantry Zulu Dance Team, whose "spears and warpaint" and "dancing and chanting their awful gibberish" left people wondering why they were there.

"Harold" was critical of performances by "primitive types" which he believed had "very limited appeal to an audience which has travelled to Edinburgh to see a traditional Tattoo".

Robert Cardwell said "natives" had no part in a military display.

However the criticism generated strong reaction from other visitors to the website, including comment from an Australian contributor who described the comments as "pitifully pompous, imperialistic racism".

The event, involving performances from the world's leading military bands, is a big tourist attraction for the Scottish city, generating more than $60 million for the local economy.

Around 217,000 people are expected at this year's event, featuring performers from Australia, Russia, Norway and the United States, between August 5 and 27.

The leader of Te Arawa's Ngati Rangiwewehi, Trevor Maxwell, said he was disappointed and saddened by the comments.

Mr Maxwell said it was the first criticism he had heard - criticism not backed by feedback to the group's shows because 23 of the 25 were sell-out performances.

"The trip was two years in the making, it was an experience of a lifetime. There were performers from Trinidad and Tobago, Aborigines, Zulu, Canadian horsemen, we were like a family of the Commonwealth."

He said the comments were in direct conflict to the "beautiful Scots humour" in abundance and praise of the local press.

"Their warmth and hospitality was tremendous."

From the Edinburgh military tattoo forum

"... these are the same Zulus that massacred our soldiers and civilians at Isandlwana and the others are the same savages that cannibalised our missionaries in the Pacific Islands. Both are cultures that have achieved little in the long history of man and only benefited once they were colonised under the British Empire."