Bali to deport actor and wellness guru Jeffrey Craigen for naked haka on top of Mt Batur

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Bali to deport actor and wellness guru Jeffrey Craigen for naked haka on top of Mt Batur

By Alan Granville
Mount Batur, Bali.

Mount Batur, Bali.Credit: Getty

A wellness guru and actor from Canada has made a tearful apology after a video of his naked haka on top of a sacred mountain in Bali fell foul of authorities on the Indonesian holiday island.

Jeffrey Craigen is to be deported following footage of his performance on Mount Batur, a volcano that is considered holy by many Balinese.

A caption in the now-deleted video read: "When you strip naked without shame and be seen, you become a fearless child of God."

Craigen has been on a tourist visa in Bali since 2019, although it had recently expired and he was seeking a renewal.

One complication for authorities is that airlines are refusing to carry him as he is not vaccinated against Covid-19.

In a lengthy follow-up video, a tearful Craigen, who has had small roles in TV series such as Supernatural and iZombie, said he didn't mean to disrespect Māori.

"I didn't even know the words I was saying," said Craigen. "I was just expressing what I was feeling and I sincerely apologise for any hurt that I gave any Māori people ... I apologise to the Balinese people. I apologise to the Māori people. I am very sorry."

The head of Bali's immigration office Jamaruli Manihuruk told AFP that all visitors need to abide by local laws.

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"To all foreigners who visit Bali, please act accordingly by respecting our law and Balinese cultural values."

Authorities say he will be put on a blacklist preventing him from entering Bali for the foreseeable future.

It is not the first time that visitors have behaved badly in Bali.

In 2019, a Czech couple were accused of disrespect after they were filmed bathing in holy water at a Hindu temple, while another video that year showed at least five Australian men running naked through the streets, insulting locals, vomiting and urinating in public.

There was yet another video that showed two naked Australians driving a scooter into a Bali villa pool.

Stuff.co.nz

See also: Flashing, spitting and stealing knickers: strange things that can get you deported

See also: Bali to deport influencers after fake mask 'prank'

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