Hakuna Matata may be a wonderful phrase, but it could be getting Disney into trouble.
The Swahili saying first came to global recognition 24 years ago when The Lion King was released.
In the process, the Walt Disney Company decided to trademark the phrase which means “no worries.”
But Disney might have reason to worry as Kenyan activists have accused the company of effectively stealing their culture.
The trademark means the phrase cannot be used by any other organization or on merchandise by any other company unless with prior approval from Disney.
With “hakuna matata” being a common phrase in Swahili, many speakers have been shocked and angered by the trademark, leading to activists saying the company has no right to the phrase.
Guess it’s not such a problem-free philosophy…
