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Tourist tack is a fact of life

Michele Duff has written a story about various Maori artists concerns about a flood of cheap Maori artifacts and art entering the country for sale during the world cup.

The people quoted have a real point of course and the only point of concern this story raises for me is
The WAI262 claim report from the Waitangi Tribunal, issued last month, recommended a commission be set up to hear objections about the use of taonga-derived works on art, with the power to stop commercial use if it was deemed "derogatory or offensive".

Wellington patent lawyer Lynell Tuffery Huria said this could potentially stop the sale of some mass-produced souvenirs, at least in New Zealand. "But it wouldn't be able to stop them from producing them in China."
The reality is that if you go anywhere in the world there is cheap touristy rubbish for sale. You want to go to Rome and see some of the stuff you can buy there.

My opinion is if some Philistine from where ever wants to pay top dollar for a plastic tiki more fool them.

You know the old saying A fool and his money.... Well why not let them part with it here?

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