December 05, 2019
Tauranga mock haka should cost cruise line
A Māori intellectual property advocate hopes a cruise ship company whose staff offered a mock pōwhiri is hit in the wallet.
Princess Cruises Australia has apologised for the incident at Tauranga where staff dressed in grass skirts with moko daubed on their faces, saying no offence was intended.
Karaitiana Taiuru says while such displays are not illegal, the company’s customers could question the service they are getting.
"It's best to name and shame those companies. There's no excuse for them not knowing it was offensive. The story has gained international attention already so I'm hoping that it will hit them in the wallet and they will reconsider their stance," he says.
Karaitiana Taiuru
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