MAORI KING BEER

Like wow.. where do i start.

While flicking from my facebook screen and the nz music gig site I tripped across this headline; 'Maori King ale leaves sour taste' in the NZ Herald. An American company Funkwerks has called its beer 'Maori King' and it includes a stylised moko in the background. The spokesperson of the company says they were unaware there was a Maori King but that in the short term there would be no name change because labelling had to be approved by regulators. I found a chat forum discussing the issue and one of the individuals had commented in response to outraged reactions of some people ; ' All you people want is a handout, a backhanded payment for the use of that stuff. Get over it, its public domain...' This is of course is the edited version because i do not wish to elaborate on the colourful language or the overt racist statements that were made.

In response i posted...

Public domain’ ? Hahaha

If you saw a man walking down the street with a facial moko would you consider that something you could identify with? Would you understand his reasons for wearing a moko? Would you know the history of this ancient art form? Do you know anything about the extensive history of the Kingitanga movement that still lives on at Turangawaewae in Ngarawahia? ..Judging by your previous comments i think not. So don’t try and claim the moko or the Maori King as ‘public domain’ when you and many of the dominant society wouldn’t have a clue of the origins or the value and importance of such things. It is not about money. Its about a fierce ignorance that is attempting to trivialise and reduce a culture i happen to be very proud of to a mere label of an alcoholic beverage.

I feel deeply sorry for you in that you have been so institutionalised by imperialistic ideologies your ignorance has blinded you to such examples of inferential racism that this beer campaign illustrates.

E mara, kia tuwhera ou karu – My friend, open your eyes.

#PROUD TO BE MAORI