British fashion brand Timbuktu accused of 'cultural appropriation' for trademarking 'Yoruba'

A British clothing retailer has come under fire for trademarking the name of the west African Yoruba people several years ago, igniting a debate online about whether trademarking names of ethnic groups amounts to cultural appropriation.

Timbuktu, an outdoor clothing brand based in northern England, filed to trademark the word "Yoruba" in 2015, records from the UK's Intellectual Property Office show. But the registration sparked anger on Sunday when the owner of CultureTree, an African cultural center in London, wrote that she had attempted to trademark "Yoruba Stars" and claimed she faced a challenge from Timbuktu due to its similarity to the phrase the company had registered. In the United Kingdom, a proposed trademark can be challenged if it conflicts or bears similarity to one that was previously approved.