Disney is facing backlash over its trademark on the Swahili phrase “Hakuna Matata”. The term, which first appeared in Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King, is commonly used in eastern and southern Africa. It loosely translates to “no worries”. Zimbabwean activist Shelton Mpala started an online petition calling on Disney to relinquish its trademark of the phrase and the petition has gathered more than 138,000 signatures.
“While we respect Disney as an entertainment institution responsible for creating many of our childhood memories, the decision to trademark ‘Hakuna Matata’ is predicated purely on greed and is an insult not only to the spirit of the Swahili people but also Africa as a whole,” Mpala wrote in the petition.
Disney applied for the trademark in 1994 to coincide with the release of the animated film. The hit of the same title popularised the phrase in the English-speaking nations.
The filing was intended to protect the company’s use of “hakuna matata” on Lion King-related merchandise, and prevent others from cashing in on its intellectual property.
Disney responded with a statement. “Disney’s registration for ‘Hakuna Matata’ t-shirts, which was filed in 1994, has never and will not prevent individuals from using the phrase. Indeed, for many years, trademarks have been registered for popular words and phrases such as ‘Yahoo!’, ‘Vaya con Dios (Go with God),’ ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Seasons Greetings’ without impeding the use of these phrases and words in any cultural way. In 2018 alone, 638,000 trademark applications were filed.”