Press duped over 'topless' performers

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet a 'topless' Maori warrior during a welcoming ceremony at Government House in Wellington yesterday.

DAMN, where were all these topless female Maori performers when I was being called on to maraes?

A variety of English newspapers have blindly quoted a UK-based (and apparently Kiwi) "expert" in haka and Maori protocol in the lead-up to William and Kate's royal visit to New Zealand.

Seemingly hungry for anything quotable on the royal visit, the papers have relied on the word of "New Zealand-born leader of the haka" Tredegar Hall, who said the normally bare-chested female Kapa Haka performers would cover up out of respect for the royal couple.

All performers, also out of respect, would wear underwear under their flax skirts - also going against the norm, according to Mr Hall.

And just to cap it off, the royal couple will be served native wood pigeon, kereru, straight from the hangi.

It's easy to see it's a hoax, and I suppose it's pretty funny, although there will be some furious editors out there. And if Mr Hall really does work for the New Zealand High Commission in London, he's in for a world of hurt with his bosses.

What it does demonstrate is how vulnerable a newspaper is, in these times of an under-resourced media, when you are not close to your community. An English newspaper should know better, but they are writing about a country that's about as far away from them as they can get. I can remember cashing in slightly when I lived in England and the Lord of the Rings hype was huge. People believed me when I told them Rivendell was "just down the road". People were also a bit freaked out that Once Were Warriors reflected New Zealand society.

Obviously a media outlet is wise to multi-source experts, but there are many times when you are entitled to rely on the word of an expert, because they have credibility.

But healthy scepticism is a great leveller. The Times-Age is close to its community and has the advantage and good fortune in having journalists and members of the public who know their community well and are more than happy to point out, with the voice of experience, when something is a steaming pile of crap - or at least smells a bit off.

And while it might make me twitch when I get told something's wrong, I am very glad to be in a community where people do their best to put me right.