A viral online petition is accusing entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Company of cultural appropriation after it copyrighted a Swahili phrase.
As the BBC reports, Disney trademarked the phrase “Hakuna matata,” Swahili for “no worries,” after it appeared as a catchphrase in the company's 1994 film The Lion King.
Although the phrase was originally copyrighted in 1994, the public outcry began in earnest after Disney renewed the copyright following the recent trailer release for the upcoming 2019 remake of The Lion King.
The petition’s author, Shelton Mpala, questions Disney's choice, writing, “Hakuna matata has been used by most Kiswahili-speaking countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
Mpala also called the move colonialist: "I liken this to colonialism and robbery, the appropriation of something you have no right over."
In an interview with the BBC, Mpala added, “A lot of Swahili speakers have been utterly shocked, they had no idea this was happening."
Disney copyrights phrases, in part, to use them on exclusive merchandise. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, the $98 billion company takes a broad approach when copyrighting elements of its intellectual properties and is aggressive in litigating to protect its profits.
The media giant reportedly has gone so far as to sue a couple receiving government aid for earning money by dressing as an orange tiger and blue donkey at birthday parties, arguing they own the exclusive right to the Winnie the Pooh characters Tigger and Eeyore.
As our sister site Shadow and Act reported, the new version of The Lion King will star Donald Glover, Beyoncé and James Earl Jones.
Disney has yet to respond to the petition.
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