Gold Coast muzzles Maori group

By ANGELA GREGORY

A Maori cultural group practising traditional songs and dances in Queensland has been put on curfew for making too much noise.

Neighbours complained that the Gold Coast Maori Cultural Group at Coolangatta was keeping them awake at night.

The Gold Coast City Council has placed an 8pm curfew on the weeknight practices at the Goodwin Park Clubhouse.

Disgruntled neighbours claimed the group would sometimes carry on and party until 2am and, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin, two men jumped onto the clubhouse roof one night with "clapsticks".

Local councillor Sue Robbins said the singing had been reported as very loud and the haka could sound aggressive as a war dance.

But the cultural group president, Norm Berryman, said the residents were not hearing haka but a traditional Maori language teaching method that used song and dance.

He insisted the group always wound up by 8.30pm as its 80 members were keen to get their children home to bed.