Except they weren't "Tribal Savages". But it's what people take away from their conditioned appearance (Black people in African garb who don't espouse leftist platitudes = savages = racial stereotypes) But that's NOT what the writing said, it's not how the characters acted. Replace them with Vulcans and you almost had a variation of Amok Time. Replace them with Romulans and you almost had a variation of Balance of Power. Or just replace them with pointy headed Klingons and you'd have any one of a dozen episodes. Replace them with wypipo and you have a viking allegory.

I claim it's the casting itself that makes Frakes (and many leftists) ashamed and virtue signaling and I think that exposes their own racism.