Who Owns The Haka? Māori IP In The AI Age

Reverend David Williams, co-editor of a new Auckland University Press book on Māori intellectual property, discusses why the issue demands fresh attention following the Waitangi Tribunal's 2011 Ko Aotearoa Tēnei report. He traces progress since then, from legislation requiring attribution of the haka "Ka Mate" to its composer Te Rauparaha, to ongoing disputes such as McLaren's use of Māori place names and Australian producers marketing "manuka" honey. Williams argues Western intellectual property law's focus on individual ownership sits awkwardly with Māori collective, whakapapa-based traditions, making prior informed consent essential before anyone uses Māori motifs, words or concepts commercially. He warns that AI is making unconsented copying of Māori imagery and ideas dangerously easy, and flags cases like the Hoka sportswear brand, where consultation with Māori was later erased from company records after a sale, as evidence more robust protections such as geographical indicators are needed. The book, "Aotearoa Inaianei", is available for purchase or free via open access through JSTOR, with Auckland University Press funding the arrangement.

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