After Coca Cola put Māori names on their bottles there has been a backlash on social media with The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) claiming it’s “completely irresponsible.” But a Māori dental assistant working in the industry says dental health has nothing to do with writing on a bottle.
Kerei Winitana-Paki who currently works at Dental Care West in Auckland says, “I don’t think it’s good or bad thing to have names on a bottle, the issue should be targeted at the problems that impact on your health.”
Winitana-Paki who grew up in a staunch Māori whānau in Ngāti Tuwharetoa are no strangers to the revitalization of Te Reo Māori. His whole world was built around ensuring families within his community were given equal opportunities as him to Te Reo Māori and infusing contemporary aspects into their culture.
However, he has a personal theory this is a marketing strategy conducted by the company but believes there are some positive outlooks around ensuring that the Māori language is part of everyday life.
“I think it’s important to note that this is a great way of promoting the language,” says Winitana-Paki.
Working as a dental assistant in West Auckland, Paki, firmly disagrees with consumers purchasing Coke or any soft drinks in general and encourages Māori to learn more about the health implications around sugary drinks.
Hāpai te Hauora released a statement that some Māori health professionals are outraged at Coca-Cola, claiming that the company is using te reo Māori to target vulnerable people.
Some of the labels on the bottles say, ‘share a Coke with whanau’ or ‘kuia’.
CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora Selah Hart says, “We already see a high allotment of our communities being the sufferers of the harms from these sugary drink products.”
However, TV actress Roimata Fox whose name is printed on the bottle doesn’t mind the idea behind the company including Māori names into their marketing strategy.