Mike Tyson Tattoos

Well, here’s an interesting twist on the lawsuit from Victor Whitmill over the copyright on Mike Tyson’s face tattoo. Many people have pointed out that the design appears to be inspired by the Maori, and it appears that Maori tattoo experts think Whitmill doesn’t deserve anything at all:

Professor Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, author of Mau Moko: The World of Maori Tattoo, described Mr Whitmill’s claims of ownership as insufferable arrogance. “It is astounding that a Pakeha tattooist who inscribes an African American’s flesh with what he considers to be a Maori design has the gall to claim that design as his intellectual property,” she said.

“The tattooist has never consulted with Maori, has never had experience of Maori and originally and obviously stole the design that he put on Tyson.

“The tattooist has an incredible arrogance to assume he has the intellectual right to claim the design form of an indigenous culture that is not his.”
That article notes that a local Parliament member said that it was a “bit rich” for Whitmill to be “moaning about the breach of copyright copied off Maori.” Seems like bringing in a Maori tattoo expert would make for an interesting witness if this ever actually goes to trial…