Ngāti Whātua contacts McLaren over Remuera and Muriwai trademark bid
Ngāti Whātua has contacted McLaren after the supercar manufacturer applied to trademark the Māori place names 'Remuera' and 'Muriwai'. McLaren has responded positively, expressing respect for New Zealand's cultural heritage.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between global corporate branding and the protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property.
An international supercar firm says it “deeply respects” New Zealand’s cultural heritage after applying to trademark two Māori place names in Auckland.
But Ngāti Whātua says “no one has spoken to us” about the application by British company McLaren. Māori leaders have now contacted the carmaker after being alerted to the legal bid by the Herald .
“These are our names, and we need to be part of that conversation,” iwi chief executive Ngārimu Blair said.
“We’re always ready to have these kōrero [conversations] and we hope McLaren is too.”
The Herald revealed on Wednesday that McLaren had applied to the United Kingdom’s Intellectual Property Office to trademark the words Remuera and Muriwai .
The applications were lodged on September 22 and are currently under “examination”.
Both suburbs are synonymous with Kiwi racing legend Bruce McLaren.
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