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Rajen Zed
Nevada, USA, May 6, 2017
Hindus are urging New Zealand government to offer effective protection to indigenous Maori sacred sites and make sure those were not disrespected in the future.
Mount Taranaki has enormous spiritual significance to Maori people and its inappropriate usage for any other agendas was not okay as it might be hurtful to the believers.
I urge the New Zealand government and involved Playboy Playmate glamour model Jaylene Cook to immediately offer a formal public apology to the Maori community and the worlds faithful.
World and New Zealand should respect the centuries old Maori religion-spirituality-traditions-concepts, which should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled.
I find this photo shoot on Mount Taranaki as highly inappropriate. Faith is something sacred and attempts at trivialising it could be disturbing to the faithful.
Authority with Maori
Moreover, the Maori community should be offered an effective role in the decision-making authority of Mount Taranaki and they should be the ones to finally decide whether to allow public climbers on it or not and what should be okay/allowed on the mountain.
The New Zealand government Department of Conservation site states, Mt Taranaki has great spiritual significance to local Maori: the crater and summit is the sacred head of Taranaki, the rocks and ridge are his bones, rivers his blood and plants and trees are his cloak and offer protection from the weather. Respect the mountain. Do not stand directly on the summit stone
Sacred Place
According to New Zealand governments Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, For the Mori of the Taranaki region, Mt Taranaki (Mt Egmont) was a sacred place which they dared not climb.
Rajen Zed is President of Universal Society of Hinduism based in Nevada, USA
Editors Note: Playboy Jaylene Cook (25) hiked more than 12 kms up the mountain with her photographer and partner Josh Shaw last Wednesday (May 3), where she posed for the photo completely naked, apart from a beanie, gloves and shoes, to keep her warm.
This was by far the hardest thing I have ever done! she wrote on Instagram to her more than 290,000 followers.
Two minutes out of the car park, I was already hurting, sweating and ready to turn back. But it is amazing what you can accomplish with the encouragement and support of your partner! she said.
But the Maori Academic Dennis Ngawhare described the photoshoot as Disrespectful.
It is culturally insensitive and not what I would expect someone to do on the Summit of Mt Taranaki, he told Fairfax Media.
