Rawiri Waititi welcomes haka trade protection, but warns against Brits using it

Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he hoped people overseas will treat the haka, Ka Mate with more respect, after the Government announced its new UK trade deal includes a provision to protect the haka.

The deal commits the UK "to cooperate with New Zealand to identify appropriate ways to advance recognition and protection of the haka, Ka Mate". This could well lead to less inappropriate use of the haka.

Waititi said: "We must be looking at cultural appropriation - not misappropriation, treading it with a lot more respect and I'm glad that a lot more people are".

He said he wanted to know more about how the UK was using the haka, and whether it was being misused.

Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi does not want to see the haka Ka Mate overused following the trade deal. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"Those taonga belong to us and if they're putting in processes of respecting it a lot more that would be better, but to use it - that would be questionable to me in terms of what they would be using it for," Waititi said.

He said he took no issue with expats using haka overseas to maintain a connection to home, but he said there were many examples of haka being used inappropriately overseas.

Many overseas nations have come under fire for misusing Ka Mate, made famous by its association with the All Blacks.

Waititi highlighted a recent haka used in an Italian car ad.

"These types of things happen with the haka - you've got to understand the concept of haka, and what it's about.

"It's not a commodity to be used in that sort of space, it's a taonga that's been gifted to the All Blacks by Ngati Toa and Aotearoa and we're really proud of it," he said.

Ka Mate was composed by Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha. The Crown's settlement with Ngāti Toa included a provision for the iwi's recognition and acknowledgement of their connection to it.

The trade agreement also involves a side letter, which will acknowledge Ngāti Toa's guardianship of Ka Mate.