BP New Zealand appears to have used Māori culture without consultation, offering Fair Trade coffee that will help you to become more fertile by placing the Polynesian recognised deity of fertility Tiki in the corner of it marketing material. Moreover, the Tiki used in the marketing appears to be a West coast of the North Island styled Tiki. This raises a question if the local Iwi were consulted.
Many Indigenous Peoples to use images of their deities to worship and seek assistance. Māori would carve and create images of deities for worship and good luck. It is believed that these carvings and images would attract the deity and allow the people to worship and receive powers from the deity. An example is Rongo the deity of plantations was placed in gardens to protect and ensure healthy crops.
Images and carvings of Tiki were placed around the neck and nearby couples who were trying to conceive a baby. Any sign of Tiki was a sign of fertility. The advertising from BP New Zealand does this by placing the deity of fertility in the corner of the advertising. It is assumed that the Fair Trade coffee is expected to assist with fertility.
Lack of consultation with Māori from conglomerates just this year has raised several embarrassing issues including: (1) Huggies list of Māori baby names that were not Māori and others that were offensive
(2) Coca Cola offering a Coke that greeted the dead
(3) and now BP offering coffee to assist with fertility problems.
Internationally brands are taking notice that they need to consult with local Indigenous People, yet in New Zealand the lack of recognition and consultation continues.
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