A Canadian tourist has got himself into a pickle by dancing naked on a mountain in Bali.
The man, who describes himself on Instagram as a “joy expert” and a “mind body healer,” took to social media over the weekend to share footage of himself doing the haka naked on Mount Batur. Mount Batur is an active volcano in Bali, and one of the four sacred mountains on the island.
According to screenshots of the (now, it seems, deleted) Instagram reel, published by The Bali Times and Coconuts, the man wrote: “When you strip naked without shame and be seen. You become a fearless child of god.”
Instagram account @balinese.media wrote recently: “Following the alleged action of Caucasians dancing naked at the top of Mount Batur, the Immigration Office immediately took quick steps.”
According to @balinese.media, the Denpasar Immigration Party have said they are investigating the “long-haired Caucasians who made a scene.”
According to Coconuts, a local media outlet, Immigration officials have identified the alleged culprit, and he has been “summoned for questioning at the Denpasar Immigration Office this morning.”
Coconuts reports: “Officials say JDC has been staying in Uluwatu, Badung regency.”
DMARGE has seen three recent videos on the man’s Instagram story, in which he says: “I would like to make this right and publically apologise from my heart. My goal is not to stay, it’s to make it right. Can someone help me?”
On Facebook, on the Kuta Bali Info page, opinion was split. Some people wondered what the big deal was, while others wrote comments like: I’ll pay his taxi fare to the airport.”
Another wrote: “We need tourist but we don’t need a trash !!!! There’s a norm and taboo in every place. You are a guest here so put some freaking respect for a local culture and religion!!!! Mt Batur is holy place for Balinese soooooo if he’s wanna get naked in his own country or at home please do we don’t freaking care but don’t put in public social media that’s called moron disrespect.”
According to media outlet Coconuts the man defended himself the other day (after the dance, but prior to today’s apology video, which is, at the time of writing, on his Instagram page), calling it true freedom of expression.
“However, his statement seemed to be more addressed towards accusations that he disrespected Maori culture by performing the traditional dance in a state of undress rather than for any offense he may have caused toward people in Bali,” Coconuts reported yesterday.
“My intention was simply to enjoy sound, expression, and movement and freedom from my whole being… I have that right, and so do you,” the man said, according to Coconuts.
“But the message I wanted to send was one of Jesus, and truly I tell you, until you become innocent children, you will not become fearless and you will not enter the kingdom of God. My question for you is, if that was a child on the mountain, innocently expressing themselves, would you criticize, ostracize, shame and reject and push them away?”
The dancing video, and the alleged defence of it, appear to have been removed, and there is now an apology, this time more to Bali, in its place, on the man’s Instagram story.
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There have also been reports that the man’s passport has been confiscated.
The Head of the Regional Bali Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry Jamaruli Manihuruk said in a press release: “The foreigner’s passport was immediately secured by the Denpasar Immigration Intelligence Section Team and asked the sponsor to contact the foreigner to cooperate with him in coming to the Denpasar Immigration Office on Monday 25th April.”
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