Historical contingency of cultural appropriation: government order no. 7 (1831) and the trade in mokamokai

This article explores the historical contingency of cultural appropriation. A close study of the trade in preserved tattooed Maori heads (mokamokai) and the law that regulated their trade between Aotearoa New Zealand and New South Wales - Government Order No. 7 (1831) - is used to reflect on the nature of intercultural consumption. The conditions under which the retail trade in mokamokai developed and thrived are considered. It is argued that the historical demand for mokamokai is characterised by an oppressive appreciation of cultural difference, and the trade's supply by Maori is revealing of local agency and political acumen. Studying the production, consumption and regulation of culture in a specific historical site offers insight into the intersection of commercial imperatives, problematic social dynamics and local practices, furthering understanding of cultural appropriation as a form of unauthorised cultural engagement.