Nike Faces Backlash Over “Pirating” Traditional Indigenous Design

Nike Faces Backlash Over “Pirating” Traditional Indigenous Design

Sports apparel giant Nike has faced public backlash over its new Air Force 1 sneakers after cultural objections from an indigenous group in Panama.

The shoe was set to be released in June as a colourful celebration of Puerto Rico.

However, Nike has been accused of “pirating” the style after an indigenous group in Panama objected the design.

Nike said in a statement: “We apologise for the inaccurate representation of the design origin for the Nike Air Force 1 ‘Puerto Rico’ 2019. As a result, this product will no longer be available.”

Belisario Lopez, the traditional leader of the Gun Yala community in Panama said: “We are not against our ‘mola’ being commercialised. What we oppose is it being done without consulting us first.”

He added the design represents “mother earth” because the design is “based on everything that is nature”, also noting the design “is a dress (style) exclusively for women.”

According to the indigenous group’s lawyer Aresio Valiente, they didn’t just want the shoe removed, they also want compensation.

Valiente told a news conference in Panama: “There is already damage to our image, to our design, to our mola. We are not going to wait for it to be thrown away, we have to seek compensation.”




Please login with linkedin to comment

Nike Panama

Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]