Ka Mate: A commodity to trade or taonga to treasure?

This paper advocates for change regarding commodification of Māori rituals in sport, arguing that haka are important taonga, symbolising Māori practices of knowledge transmission. Indigenous research methodologies based on Kaupapa Māori theory were utilised in this study. The literature reviewed highlights ongoing commodification of “Ka Mate” (a haka composed by Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha) by transnational corporations in sport-related settings. A critique of promotional advertisements for sport events illustrates how recent legislation has had minimal impact. Further, it presents three examples, which coincided with the 2015 Rugby World Cup, of how corporate sponsors used haka for commercial purposes. This study includes pūrākau of three pūkenga immersed in te ao Māori, who suggest that haka, including “Ka Mate”, should be treasured rather than traded by non-Māori, to ensure wellbeing of Māori and their taonga tuku iho. Conclusions provide recommendations for sport marketing researchers and practitioners alike.