A Canadian man is being deported from Indonesia over a viral video that showed him dancing naked on a sacred mountain in Bali.
Actor and self-proclaimed wellness guru, Jeffrey Craigen from Vancouver, is accused of filming the nude video on Mt. Batur - a volcano considered holy by many Balinese.
Craigen Accused of Immorality, Hurting Religious Sentiments
Craigen posted a video of himself doing the Haka – a ceremonial dance in New Zealand's Maori culture – while nude on the sacred mountain. "When you strip naked without shame and be seen, you become a fearless child of god," he captioned the clip that was shared on social media.
Craigen was detained and questioned on Monday following a deluge of complaints from social media users accusing him of disrespecting Balinese religious values, as reported by The Jakarta Post.
Craigen Banned from Entering Bali, Posts Video Apology
Craigen is currently awaiting deportation -- but authorities say airlines are reluctant to help because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. "Airlines have not agreed (to transport him)," the head of Denpasar immigration office Tedy Riyandi told AFP Tuesday. He will be put on a blacklist preventing him from entering Bali for the foreseeable future, officials said.
Craigen has been in Indonesia since late 2019 as a tourist and to study alternative treatments for osteoporosis, the head of Bali's immigration office Jamaruli Manihuruk said.
"To all foreigners who visit Bali: always behave in an orderly manner by respecting the law and Balinese cultural values because every violation will be dealt with firmly in order to uphold the honour and authority of the State," said, as reported in local news.
In the wake of the incident, Craigen posted a video apology, claiming he did not know the mountain was a holy site. "I'm sorry," a visibly distressed Craigen says in the video as he shares remorse over the incident. "Whether you believe me or not, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"When I shared that video it was in the hopes to just be seen," he says. "So I could feel alive in some way." He adds that he's at the immigration office and not sure what to do.
Craigen has worked for several years in the Vancouver film and TV industry and has credits in shows like DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Colony and Ghost Wars, often as a security guard or officer.
Last year, a Russian adult film star sparked controversy after posting a racy video of herself on top of Mt. Batur on a pornographic website, as previously reported.
