The organisers of the Hawera parade where a float participated using blackface have come under scrutiny, after it emerged they awarded the club second place - and $300 in prize money.
The Hawera Mt View Lions Club's float at the Taranaki town's A&P parade on Friday evening featured half-a-dozen people with their faces painted black, surrounded by black and white balloons.
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It's been labelled "disgusting" and "racist", and led to calls for vigilante justice.
Richard Brewer, of Egmont A&P Association, has apologised and said the group wouldn't be given any money. The club has also lost its second place ranking.
"We sincerely apologise for the upset caused by the Hāwera Mount View Lions' float in our parade," he told Stuff.
"We will use this experience as a learning for the way we organise our event in the future."
It's unclear how the blackface float was allowed to enter in the first place, as the parade entry form prohibits floats deemed unsuitable by the Egmont A&P association from participating.
Blackface originated in minstrel shows in the 1800s, where it perpetuated negative racial stereotypes of black people. As such, modern-day usage is highly contentious.
In a since-deleted Facebook post containing a number of spelling errors, the Hawera Mt View Lions said it was "by no means meant to be derogatory as a racist commentary, rather a celebration of all cultures".
Newshub.
