An 11-year-old girl is the latest to have her image used and sold on an American arts website featuring Māori images on products.
Her family says it's being used without permission, and they're outraged.
The professional photo the girl posed, left, next to the photo that appeared on an overseas website. Photo: SUPPLIED / Fine Art America
The girl posed for a photograph wearing a piupiu across her shoulder and a moko on her chin at a festival on Waitangi Day in 2015. It appears someone has taken another shot from the side, and it's that photo that has shown up on the Fine Art America website.
The discovery of the girl's photo follows criticism of shower curtains, cushions and T-shirts featuring Māori portraits and images of a shrunken Māori head, which also featured on the website. Some listings have since been removed.
Her father, Simon, who wanted only his first name used, said her image had been stolen to be sold around the world.
He hadn't noticed anyone else taking photos at the time but, given the photo was off-centre, it appeared someone had taken a shot from the side, he said.
"It's disgusting, you know. You see a picture on the 'net and you don't really associate it with being on duvets, coffee cups and mats but, as it comes to light, it seems that's what's going to happen."
His daughter sat for the photo at the festival with Māori business Soldiers Rd Portraits. The company's point of difference is native-inspired vintage portraits, often incorporating accessories such as guns, patu and Māori moko.
"The fact that it's a beautiful picture, I'm sort of up in the air about it really," Simon said.
"I don't really know how I feel about it at the moment. It sort of sunk in this morning, and I'm sort of pissed off that someone is trying to make financial gain over it.
"It could be worse, it could be a photo of her at the beach, but [I'm] just annoyed some rogue is trying to make money out of stealing a shot."
The photo, as it appeared on the site. Photo: Fine Art America
The photo was being sold on the site for between $6.60, for a greeting card, and $147, for a printed duvet cover.
Soldiers Rd Portraits owner Taaniko Nordstrom said one of the ideas behind her business was to empower Māori to own their own images, after centuries of image theft. She hadn't slept all night, she said.
"We have an obligation to protect Māori as Māori and I felt that hadn't happened, we somehow hadn't protected her and I felt horrible."
The company didn't allow people to take photos when they were working unless families were happy for that to happen. No-one asked to take a photo of this girl, she said.
Vienna Nordstrom, left and Taaniko Nordstrom of Soldiers Rd Portraits Photo: SUPPLIED
"If he took an image of that young girl and he never asked her for permission, he is stealing it. He didn't even have a name. The name for the portrait he's selling is "Māori girl"; now, if that's not stealing of identity, I don't know what is."
Ms Nordstrom said she had sent emails to the website and the photo had since been taken down.
'Making money from it - that's what gets me'
The 11-year-old is of Te Rarawa and Ngāti Hine, which are among iwi who have had their people's images used in culturally inappropriate ways for centuries.
Her grandfather, Johnny, said he was now feeling upset all over again.
"I'm not happy about it but I don't know what we can do - but I'm open to suggestions - but I don't like it. The making money from it, that's what gets me."
Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox said she had sent an official letter to the website and was demanding an apology.
RNZ News has contacted the website and the artist named with the listing to ask if they gained permission from the child or her family, but neither has responded.
