Maori King

With the release of the long-awaited WAI 262 claim into, among other things, intellectual property rights and culture, we have clarification on how a new IP regime might look in Aotearoa/NZ. Essentially Maori lack control of much of what goes on in the world of branding, niche marketing, and logo mash-ups. Check this new beer from Funkwerks, a US brewing company...



Apart from using NZ Rakau hops, there's precious little connection to Maori or the Kingitanga movement. And people are upset, or rather some people are upset.

Of course, such appropriation is testimony to our success in self-promotion, collective presence in the worlds media (particularly through sport) and the rather well-developed tourism sector in and around Rotorua.

Life goes on. Check this haka performance...