to be done, it has to be done in the right way, in the right spirit, not made fun of in an Italian car advertisement or college football game in Arizona.



And ta moko – which correctly is an incision, a carving on the skin, using uhi, or chisels made of albatross bone – has become like that too. There is a Kiwi context that demands respect. So some people felt it off when UK singer Robbie Williams got one tattooed on his shoulder.

Boxer Mike Tyson caused a double stir because first he had one inked on his face, and then his US tattoo artist sued Warner Bros for copyright infringement after it used the design on a character in its top-grossing comedy movie, The Hangover II.

SUPPLIED/DESTINATION OREWA BEACHto be the new social minefield.



IT'S ABOUT OWNERSHIP



Auckland University law professor and Waitangi Tribunal expert Dr David Williams says it starts with a formal framework.



New Zealand is working towards institutionalising its bicultural identity and before anything can be shared, first its proper ownership must be established.



The issue of cultural appropriation is being tackled internationally. There is a growing push to protect the myths and customary knowledge of indigenous people as intellectual property.



One of the milestones was the 1993 Mataatua Declaration in the Bay of Plenty. Tribal delegates from 14 countries – including Aboriginal Australians, Japanese Ainu and Native Americans – met to claim copyright protection and "control over the dissemination" of their traditional cultures.



Williams says that international fight has rolled on through various United Nation's resolutions and is