New Zealand rejects haka trade mark application
13 June 2012
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Peter Leung, Hong Kong
Applications by the Ngati Toa Rangatira, a New Zealand Maori tribe, to register four phrases from its Ka Mate haka as trade marks have been rejected by the Intellectual Property Office
Haka is a term that loosely translates as “war dance”. The Ka Mate is performed by the national rugby union team before matches, and is arguably the most famous haka in New Zealand.The IP Office had initially accepted all four applications without objection and published an advertisement of acceptance, giving third parties a chance to oppose the marks. ProKiwi, a souvenir company that makes tea towels imprinted with the phrase “ka mate”, opposed the applications.
Previous attempts to trade mark the Ka Mate haka...
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