Te Kete o Karaitiana Taiuru (Blog)

Disney releases Polynesian skin kids outfit

Labeled as a Maui Costume for Kids based on the Disney movie Moana. The costumes are made to look like brown skin with Polynesian tattoos.

UPDATED Disney pulls Maui costume 22/09/207 

There are a number of issues for Polynesian cultures and for Māori special considerations will need to be considered around the Ta Moko (tattoo) as each ta mako is unique to the individual and their whanu, hapū and Iwi.

There is already an issue where ta moko and moko kauae are digitally copied form photos from social media and the web and added to other peoples bodies and faces. The next progressive step could see the digital theft being printed onto skin outfits which would be highly offensive to the original wearer of the art work.

In general any child wearing such an outfit will cause offense to any Polynesian/Māori.

This outfit could be the beginning of a new era of offensive material. What will the limit be on such skin outfits. Asian/African skin outfits for Caucasians or Caucasian skin outfits for non Caucasians?

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: This post is the personal opinion of Dr Karaitiana Taiuru and is not reflective of the opinions of any organisation that Dr Karaitiana Taiuru is a member of or associates with, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

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