Denver off the Wagon

Tempest in a tea pot. These are the same people who post some of the most anti-American nonsense in their teachers’ lounges and school commons. They go on and on on radio talk shows about the all the adverse effects they can attribute to “Americans” – which by the way is often used as a pejorative in New Zealand. They have had incidences wherein shop owners have posted – and I am not making this up – “No Jews Allowed” (with no legal recriminations I might add) all the while howling about racialism in “America”, they spend endless hours denigrating “American” social services whilst taxing one and all through the nose for health care that is inaccessible, they complain about agricultural subsidies in America while benefiting from decades of subsidies that literally built their own economy. They write and openly enforce sex discrimination laws while beating their breast over discrimination in “America”, and the ‘aggrieved’ Maori did more to destroy each other in the centuries leading up to and long after the arrival of the Europeans. They are making a fuss because they have no power over anything and they resent Americans just on principle.

I would love to know where you get your information from, Thomas Simmons. I am a Maori, and don’t know anyone to use “American” as an insult of any kind. As for your “no Jews allowed” story, it isn’t quite as simple as you make out:

http://doctorbulldog.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/no-jews-allowed/

I am currently in the United States, where I have been living for the past couple of years. When meeting new people and explaining where I am from, it is not uncommon for people to pause and then say, “Oh! I have friends/family in Australia!”. Over time I have come to realize that this is just people trying to relate, and using what may be the only reference point that they have – if I pulled out a map of the world, I would not expect every person to be able to place every nation on a map; indeed, I couldn’t do it myself. My point is that kiwis, myself included, don’t expect everyone to know where our country is – and that we don’t need them to, either. If our people cannot be “put on the map” for conquering Mt. Everest, discovering radioactive half-life, or being first to give women the vote, then we certainly do not expect nor need free publicity over alcohol.

Cultural appropriation is a tricky subject to approach. Personally, I believe that different people have different thresholds that they can tolerate – but in this case, this is pretty unacceptable.

Firstly, the Maori King is an actual person. His name is Tuheitia Paki, and the marketing department at Funkwerks Brewery could have found that out simply by typing “Maori King” into Google. While not all iwi follow the Kingitanga movement, an number of them do; and we have had Maori sovereignty present since the 1800s.

Secondly, Maori have been hugely adversely affected since the introduction of alcohol into our society, both since they first had contact with Europeans, and today. Today Maori are the demographic most at risk to suffer the consequences of alcohol abuse – so for there to be an alcoholic beverage named after the sovereign leader of our people – without even any sort of research or permission-seeking – is hugely problematic and shameful.

Thirdly, the stylized moko on the beer label is a further insult. Te Moko is a ritual reserved for only the highest ranking Maori, and symbolizes adulthood and prestige, as well as communicating lineage. It is absolutely sacred, and for this imagery to be used to promote any product – but particularly an alcoholic beverage – is disrespectful.

I am shocked that the Funkwerks staff decided on this branding as appropriate, especially when the significance of the words “Maori King” and Te Moko could have been discovered even with the most rudimentary research. The Funkwerks staff have many options available to them; and I hope that although it may be considered “expensive and impractical”, that they will recall this product in good faith and think of another name for it. Maori may have a small population, but we are significant, and I believe that in this case, our grievance is a valid one.