Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Seeks to Protect 'Kava' from Trademarking

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat(PIFS) has expressed grave concerns over the trademarking of the word "Cava" by an American restaurant chain, Cava Group Inc, due to its similarity to "kava", a culturally significant word in the Pacific. Outgoing Secretary-General of PIFS, Henry Puna, met with Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) in February to discuss the issue.

Why this matters: The trademarking of culturally significant words can have far-reaching implications for indigenous communities and their cultural heritage. If left unchecked, it can lead to the exploitation and erasure of cultural identities, highlighting the need for international organizations to protect and preserve cultural diversity.

Puna stated that the name "kava" belongs to the Pacific people and should remain exclusive to them. "It's not for everybody else to use... If they're selling a similar product, well, they can use a different name,"he said. A meeting is scheduled with WIPO next month to address the issue and protect the name "kava". "I think next month there will be a meeting of the region to deal with this particular issue, hosted by WIPO... And I'm hoping that we can move forward quickly in order to protect that name, it's a geographical name that must always belong, and remain with the Pacific,"Puna added.

American pioneer kava grower, Matt Masifilo, revealed that Cava Group's trademarking is being legally challenged in American courts. Kava bar owners in the US have reported being targeted by Cava Group to prevent them from using the word "kava" in their business names. The issue has sparked a debate over word ownership and cultural significance.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is seeking to protect the name "kava" from being used by external parties. The meeting with WIPO next month aims to address this issue and ensure that the culturally significant word remains exclusive to the Pacific people. As the debate over the trademarking of "Cava" continues, the outcome of the meeting andlegal challengeswill be closely watched.

Key Takeaways

• PIFS expresses concern over American chain Cava Group Inc. trademarking "Cava", similar to culturally significant "kava" in the Pacific.
• Trademarking culturally significant words can lead to exploitation and erasure of cultural identities.
• Outgoing PIFS Secretary-General Henry Puna meets with WIPO to discuss protecting the name "kava" for Pacific people.
• Cava Group's trademarking is being legally challenged in American courts by kava growers and bar owners.
• PIFS seeks to protect "kava" from external use, with a meeting with WIPO scheduled for next month.