Fake Maori welcome causes stir

Iwi are surprised and disappointed that a local operator is using other nationalities to promote cultural Maori tourism in the Bay.
They also scoffed at a suggestion by the operator that they were "too lazy to get out of bed" and push their own culture.
Discovery Heritage Group, established by director Terina Puriri in March 2008, has been banned from the Port of Tauranga wharves for a breach of security, stopping them from greeting cruise ship  passengers as they disembark.
It was discovered that the welcoming group included French and Israelis wearing traditional Maori dress, including cloaks, and some of them had a moko scrawled on their faces.
The group gives overseas passengers an opportunity for a photograph with "authentic" local Maori.
Ms Puriri was reported as saying that "some of our Maori are too slack to promote themselves ... some of our Maori are too lazy to get out of bed to do that".
- Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times