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Japanese commercial offends Maori group

Who gives a crap.

Some people are angry in New Zealand because a Japanese commercial used the haka dance without permission and made it look and sound like “crap”:

The Japanese commercial for Coke Zero, features popstar Namie Amuro alongside what advertising agency copy describes as “a troupe of studs from Kiwiland in the traditional Maori haka dance”.

The men are actors wearing jerseys similar to All Black kit, but without the silver fern, and their movements appear to be from the Ka Mate haka.

Ngati Toa are considered the custodians of Ka Mate. Spokesman Te Ariki Wi Neera said an advertising agency had approached the iwi through the New Zealand embassy in Tokyo.

“We told them that if they wanted to use Ka Mate they needed to talk to us first. They declined to engage when they saw we were serious about protecting it.”

He had not seen the ad, but was unimpressed after hearing it described: “We would have been happy to work with them, but it sounds like crap.”