User:Lanma726/Maori IP

 

In 2001 a dispute concerning the popular LEGO toy-line "Bionicle" arose between Danish toymaker Lego Group and several Māori tribal groups (fronted by lawyer Maui Solomon) along with several members of an on-line discussion-forum (Aotearoa Cafe). The Bionicle product-line allegedly used many words appropriated from Māori language, imagery and folklore. The dispute ended in an amicable settlement. Initially the Lego Group refused to withdraw the product, saying it had drawn the names from many cultures, but later agreed that it had taken the names from Māori and agreed to change certain names or spellings to help set the toy-line apart from the Māori legends. This, however, did not prevent the many Bionicle users from continuing to use the disputed words, resulting in the popular Bionicle website BZPower coming under a denial-of-service attack for four days from an attacker using the name Kotiate. ^[1]

 

In 2005 it was discovered that the Phillip Morris cigarette company were producing a brand of cigarette in Israel called the "L & M Maori mix" ^[2]. In 2006, the head of Phillip Morris Louis Camilleri issued an apology to Māori, "We sincerely regret any discomfort that was caused to Māori people by our mistake and we won't be repeating it."^[3]

In 2008, insult was taken (by Māori and Russians) by the discovery of Chinese-made Māori Russian dolls in gift stores throughout New Zealand ^[4].

Between 1998 and 2006, the Ngati Toa iwi attempted to trademark the Ka Mate haka and forbid its use by commercial organisations without their permission^[5][6]. The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand turned their claim down in 2006 as Ka Mate was widely recognised in New Zealand and abroad as representing New Zealand as a whole and not a particular trader^[7]

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article.asp?id=477

http://newsgrist.typepad.com/robertgoldwaterlibrary/2006/10/pissedoff_maori.html