Beer Brewery Apologizes For Giving Its Ale A Name Translating To Mean Pubic Hair
Image via Shutterstock
A Canadian beer brewery has apologized to customers upon learning that one of its beer products is named after the Māori term for pubic hair.
Hell’s Basement Brewery said it decided to adopt the name, Huruhuru, for its new craft ale concocted with New Zealand hops, as it thought the word meant “feather” or “fur.”
New Zealand television host Te Hamua Nikora later told the brewery that the word “huruhuru” also holds a different meaning to the indigenous community, sharing in a Facebook post, “Yes I know huruhuru means feather, fur and even hair of the head. But it is most commonly used as hair from a person’s privates.” Nikora also released a clip describing the act as “appropriation.”
“It’s that entitlement disease they’ve got. Stop it. Use your own language. Don’t call it pubic hair unless you are selling pubic hair, and don’t call beer pubic hair unless you make it with pubic hair,” he mentioned.
Nikora added that he had contacted the company to alert it of unfortunate mistake and urged it to use its own language in the future.
The brewery’s founder, Mike Patriquin, apologized for the mishap in a statement to local news network CBC. “The interpretation was intended as ‘feather’ – meaning the beer itself is light as a feather and this is also stated in the name,” Patriquin explained. “We acknowledge that we did not consider the commonplace use of the term huruhuru as a reference to pubic hair, and that consultation with a Māori representative would have been a better reference than online dictionaries.”
“We wish to make especially clear that it was not our intent to infringe upon, appropriate, or offend the Maori culture or people in any way; to those who feel disrespected, we apologize,” he added. The brewery is currently in the midst of rebranding its beverage.
Huruhuru has been unleashed throughout Alberta. Have you said hello to our little friend? It's the perfect summer beer, light body with a subtle citrus flavour from the New Zealand Hops! Find one in the wild or in Alberta's liquor stores and pubs!#Hellomylittlefriend #Craftbeer pic.twitter.com/818DC4Mdrw
— Hell's Basement (@HellsBasementMH) July 15, 2018
Huruhuru
Posted by TeHamua Nikora on Monday, August 3, 2020
That’s all I’m gonna say about it......
Oh nah, I’ll probly say some more! 😜
[via News.com.au, opening image via Shutterstock]
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