Ka Mate: A commodity to trade or taonga to treasure?
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Date
2018-06-25
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga
Rights
Abstract
This paper advocates for change regarding commodification of Mäori rituals in sport, arguing that
haka are important taonga, symbolising Mäori practices of knowledge transmission. Indigenous
research methodologies based on Kaupapa Mäori theory were utilised in this study. The literature reviewed highlights ongoing commodification of “Ka Mate” (a haka composed by Ngäti
Toa chief Te Rauparaha) by transnational corporations in sport-related settings. A critique of
promotional advertisements for sport events illustrates how recent legislation has had minimal
impact. Further, it presents three examples, which coincided with the 2015 Rugby World Cup,
of how corporate sponsors used haka for commercial purposes. This study includes püräkau of
three pükenga immersed in te ao Mäori, who suggest that haka, including “Ka Mate”, should
be treasured rather than traded by non-Mäori, to ensure wellbeing of Mäori and their taonga
tuku iho. Conclusions provide recommendations for sport marketing researchers and practitioners alike.
Description
Keywords
haka, kaupapa Māori, pūrākau, rugby, sponsorship
Citation
MAI journal: a New Zealand journal of indigenous scholarship, 2018, 7 (2), pp. 170 - 185 (16)