A major New Zealand retailer, Mitre 10, has decided to stop using Māori names for some of its products after deeming them culturally insensitive. The company’s Legacy brand has covered over existing stock with stickers to hide products emblazoned with Māori words, including toilet seats, toilet paper holders, and other bathroom fixtures. The move is temporary until existing stock is exhausted, and replacements, sourced from China, will be produced with names deemed more appropriate.
The products have been on sale for the past five years with Māori names, but corporate policy now dictates that the names be changed to reflect cultural sensitivity. A spokesperson for Mitre 10 said the changes were made because the Māori names for lakes and rivers were tarnished by being associated with toilets.
In Maori culture, water is considered the foundation of life, known as te taha wairua. Karaitiana Taiuru, an expert in Māori cultural rights, agreed that the names were inappropriate. When speaking with Radio New Zealand, he supported Mitre 10’s actions, stating that rivers are normally named after ancestors and have spiritual connections to both the physical environment and the people. As a result, using sacred names for bathroom fixtures was deemed disgusting and offensive.
The existing names have now been replaced with stickers bearing European or generic names. Mr. Taiuru expressed concern about the impact on the Māori community and suggested that Mitre 10 might lose some customers as a result of this controversy.