The campaign’s goals included establishing intellectual property rights for the Tino Rangatiratanga flag design, developing a limited range of high-quality, artist-endorsed Tino Rangatiratanga products, and creating educational resources to promote respectful and authentic use of the flag.

The statement said the Tino Rangatiratanga flag was a powerful symbol of Māori identity and self-determination.

It was designed by Munn, Hiraina Marsden and Jan Smith in 1989 and embodied the kaupapa for the betterment of Māori culture and traditions.

Cheap, China-made products: ‘They have no understanding of what it means’

Trust chairwoman Julie Paama-Pengelly told the Bay of Plenty Times examples of misuse and misappropriation of the flag were “pretty prolific”.

“If you google [on a large online marketplace] for example, ‘Māori’ or ‘Aotearoa’, you’ll come up with Tino Rangatiratanga merchandise.

“This is part of the problem – once you commercialise something … it goes to China and the flags get made over there, for example. The $3 shop gets magnets and stuff made over there.

“Once it travels around that universe, you’re kind of questioning what there is to protect it. And that’s really what we’re trying to establish here – how to protect it for the benefit of Māori and the integrity of what it actually stands for.

“In order to say that there’s blatant transgressions of it, you’ve got to establish that you have the prior right to make decisions on that.”

Paama-Pengelly said she felt “extremely angry” when she saw commercialised products using the flag – such as clothing and plates – particularly the “knock-offs” made in China.

“They have no understanding of what it means. And often our people are drawn to buy that … because they want to be seen wearing those things. And they’re cheap.

“If you’re Māori and you want to commercially do something that uses the flag, then it should be for the betterment of Māori and should be giving back to the community.”

Asked about Te Pāti Māori’s use of the flag, Paama-Pengelly said: “The flag, as it stands, is used appropriately by most people.

“We’re not trying to stop anyone using it at this particular point.”

She said it was up to Māori to “challenge the context” people used it in.

“And it’s our community’s right to do that.”

Munn was also approached for comment.

Symbolism of the flag’s design

The elements of the national Māori flag represent the three realms:

The koru is symbolic of a curling fern frond, representing the unfolding of new life, hope for the future, and the process of renewal.

Source: Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.