Maori tattoos being sold as Halloween costume in US

A screenshot of the Maori facial tattoos being sold by US retailers.

A US retailer's decision to sell Maori facial tattoos in a Halloween costume store has sparked outrage.

The transferable temporary facial moko, labelled "Maori face" on the packaging, is being sold by US retailer Halloween Hallway and online by manufacturer Tinsley Transfers for US$7.99 (NZ$11.66).

The product description on Tinsley Transfers' website describes the product as "this authentic Maori facial temporary tattoo will be sure to get all the attention".

One product reviewer, Robert, who had purchased that offensive tattoo, gave the product a five star rating on the website.

"I just got back from a huge Halloween party," the review read. "All night long I was getting asked if the tattoo was real."

Maui Solomon, a lawyer specialising in cultural property rights, told Radio New Zealand that the tattoos were a "cultural rip-off".

"The fact that it's identified as a Māori face and is being sold as a Halloween mask which is designed to scare children in North America, I suggest is culturally offensive and misrepresents the true nature of tā moko," Solomon said.

Solomon told Radio New Zealand he had seen increasing examples of Māori designs being misused and said he hoped the new Government would make it a priority to protect them.

A New Zealander from Hamilton, living in Chicago, spotted the culturally offensive product. He told Radio New Zealand he was shocked to see the tattoos being sold.