I'm in Christchurch New Zealand, a city recovering from an earthquake just over a week ago that claimed what will probably reach around 250 lives, caused billions of dollars property damage, and has left thousands of people homeless and tens of thousands with no workplace.
Overall, the national and local community response has been amazing. People shovelling liquefaction silt from around the houses of strangers. Taking food and water to the worst-hit areas.
Of course there are some selfish idiots, a few cases of opportunistic theft and looting; that is not unexpected and I trust they will be appropriately handled. What I did not expect was to read a news story today that made me fume.
There are a number of kiwi companies doing things to raise funds for earthquake relief. One T-shirt printing company started doing a t-shirt with "Kia Kaha Christchurch" -- Kia Kaha is a beautiful phrase meaning "be/stay/forever strong", not in a "harden up" way but with connotations of empathy and community.
They promptly got a cease and desist order from another company called Kia Kaha Clothing:
An Auckland T-shirt company trying to raise money for earthquake-affected Christchurch charities has been ordered to stop using the phrase "Kia Kaha Christchurch" because it breaches a trademark held by another clothing label.
Wellington-based label Kia Kaha issued the cease and desist notice to Mr Vintage today
That made me feel sick. The phrase Kia kaha has been an expression of support with great cultural significance for all New Zealanders for many decades. It was in widespread use long before some company grabbed it as a name, trademarked it, got busy putting designs on crappy t-shirts made in China and shelling them off to an unsuspecting public who might be misled into thinking they're actually buying locally made. (Sure, I know there was once a time when Kia Kaha the clothing label took pride in local production but they import a lot of their stuff these days.)
And now the jerks running that business think they have a monopoly on the phrase? That it is good business practice to threaten legal action against any other labels using the phrase on products raising money for charity?
I am so glad I have never bought anything from Kia Kaha, and never will. I will stick to my favorite genuine local labels, guys like
- chalkydigits -- "home grown, cut & sewn", they make my favorite t-shirts
- Earth Sea Sky -- awesome pants, so comfortable and practical
- Cactus Climbing -- I don't know how those guys ever get repeat business because their gear just lasts forever!
- Ground Effect -- their mountain bike clothing is great for slow urban cyclists like me too
- Morphic -- love their hoodies, and already miss being able to visit their awesome stall at the Arts Centre Market on weekends
All of them are based in earthquake-stricken Christchurch and produce genuinely locally made products with a focus on sustainable, ethical production.
So as I sit here in my chalkydigits t-shirt and earth sea sky pants, I'll just say Kia Kaha in the true spirit of the phrase to my fellow residents of Christchurch, and a resounding "Fuck you" to the company that thinks an important national phrase is its sole property at any time, let alone during a national disaster.
Ok just ranting I know -- an overreaction maybe, but we're all very drained here and businesses making dumbshit decisions like this are asking for our contempt. I feel a little better having put fingers to keyboard.