Whittaker's Maori label backlash prompts outpouring of support

Whittaker’s new Maori label has been compared to the “forced mandated injection” by disgruntled customers rejecting the chocolate company celebrating New Zealand’s diversity, but the backlash also prompted an outpouring of support.

The limited edition wrapper comes ahead of September’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Week, a government-sponsored initiative designed to encourage New Zealanders to promote the use of the Māori language.

Whittaker’s released the new-look label on Tuesday, telling customers the limited edition chocolate block would be available in stores across the country from August 22.

“While we’ve had this label before, this is the first time we’re making it available for Chocolate Lovers in stores nationwide for a limited time!” the post said.

“Our hope is that the label contributes to revitalising Te Reo in New Zealand, and we hope Chocolate Lovers enjoy a block of Miraka Kirīmi with their friends and whānau [extended family].”

But the post attracted a rebuke from the audience, according to Stuff: “I support people learning Te Reo, but not in this manner. It feels like forced mandated injections”; “Shame on you Whittakers [sic] we certainly won’t be buying your chocolates anymore…”; and “Does everything have to be translated into mari [sic]”.

NZ right-wing blogger Cameron Slater joined the chorus, tweeting, “Go woke, go broke… see ya @WhittakersNZ,” alongside a picture of the rebranded chocolate, but the post backfired when it was inundated with people astounded that he was “triggered by a chocolate block”.

“Thanks for the reminder that I need to buy more Whittakers! Unbelievable the number of racist asshats losing their minds over a Kiwi company using one of the official languages of Aotearoa on their packaging,” one user commented.

Another suggested Slater had only encouraged more sales with his tweet.

“I fully expect Whittakers sales to go through the roof now. Why pay Nigella big bucks when you can just piss off Cam Slater for instant near-universal approval?” one person said.

Māori language commissioner Rawinia Higgins said she was pleased to see the chocolate brand embracing and celebrating Māori, which along with English is New Zealand’s official language.

“A few years ago Whittaker’s approached us about some ideas for Māori Language Week and our advice was to keep it simple and to focus on the language: and they did. This month for the first time New Zealanders can buy a chocolate block literally wrapped entirely in te reo.”

“For those who have complained that this is a step too far for our country: the reality is that the rest of New Zealand has already taken that step. We know that eight in 10 of us see te reo as part of our identity as a Kiwi while one in three of us can speak more than a few words of Māori.

“Young New Zealanders are helping to drive change. They are not threatened when they see or hear te reo; they see te reo as absolutely normal.”

The Aotearoa Liberation League (ALL), which describes itself as a “decolonial justice project for Papatūānuku and all her inhabitants”, said there was an interesting conversation to be had about the chocolate’s rebrand, though not the one in the comments.

“On the one hand it’s a positive step as it’s normalising the use of te reo Māori. On the other hand it’s just a symbolic gesture, especially given it’s timed with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori,” ALL wrote.

“We should ask ourselves how useful these representational moves are when they aren’t also combined with meaningful implementation of te ao Māori values… If they benefit from marketing their products with te reo but don’t give back to the Māori community in a tangible way.”

ALL also said the promotion of dairy could be seen as problematic, in that the dairy industry “impacts Māori more than anyone else, by degrading the land and water we are so deeply connected to — much of which was stolen from Māori”.

“For us personally, we don’t celebrate this move — and we don’t think dairy aligns with Māori values of respecting paptūānuku and other animals,” ALL said, though it acknowledged that many Māori may not be equally worried about this aspect.