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Disney accused of colonialism over 'hakuna matata' trademark
The Guardian ^ | December 19, 2018 | Rebecca Ratcliffe

Posted on 12/19/2018 9:35:45 AM PST by EdnaMode

More than 50,000 people have signed a petition accusing Disney of “colonialism and robbery” after it trademarked the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata”.

The expression means “no problem” in Swahili, which is spoken across east Africa and is a national language of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The petition, which calls on Disney to drop its trademark, precedes the release of the company’s motion capture remake of The Lion King next summer, which will be voiced by Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The phrase was popularised in 1982 by the Kenyan band Them Mushrooms, whose platinum-selling single Jambo Bwana (Hello, Mister) featured the phrase “hakuna matata”. It was later featured in the 1994 version of the Lion King, which spawned a hit musical and became one of Disney’s most valuable franchises. The film included the song Hakuna Matata, written by Elton John and Tim Rice.

Disney was granted a US trademark in 2003, protecting use of the phrase on clothing or footwear.

Shelton Mpala, who created the petition, accused the company of appropriation. “Disney can’t be allowed to trademark something that it didn’t invent,” he wrote. The petition has so far been signed by more than 52,000 people.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Chit/Chat; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: appropriation; colonialism; disney; eltonjohn; hakunamatata; john; lionking; mpala; rice; sheltonmpala; swahili; thelionking; timrice
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To: Rurudyne

Thanks. That’s a really good point.


21 posted on 12/19/2018 1:51:37 PM PST by EdnaMode
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To: Retvet

Is apple a common term? I see them every day at the fruit stand, however the trademark looks different than the other “Apple”.

Come on people, use common sense. This is about product association, not the actual letters and common usage.


22 posted on 12/19/2018 1:58:26 PM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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