A Tainui kuia says it's an insult to Maori that a man performed a haka before abusing and robbing the occupants of a campervan in Raglan.
Police believe a group of five intoxicated men approached the campervan on Wednesday night last week on Ohautira Road, where one woke up the two occupants by doing a haka.
They say the tourists were accused of parking on private land and were told they had to pay rent, before one of the tourists was punched and belongings were taken.
An elder, Mamae Takerei, says the abuse reflects badly on the community and the haka wrongly ties the whole incident to Maori.
She says only a stupid fool would use the haka to intimidate anyone - and the tourists did not deserve to be treated that way.
Ms Takerei says the Raglan community is safe.
