Adele addresses viral Bantu knots Jamaican picture after being accused of cultural appropriation
In August last year, famed British singer Adele uploaded a snap of herself at the Notting Hill Carnival in London. However, several followers quickly retaliated, accusing the Oscar-winner of cultural appropriation for styling her hair in Bantu knots.
As the carnival celebrated the British West Indian community, Adele was seen wearing a bikini top with a Jamaican flag. The singer also sported yellow feathered headgear. Her look garnered criticism from fans, including journalist Ernest Owens. He tweeted,
“If 2020 couldn’t get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for.”
If 2020 couldn’t get anymore bizarre, Adele is giving us Bantu knots and cultural appropriation that nobody asked for. This officially marks all of the top white women in pop as problematic. Hate to see it. https://t.co/N9CqPqh7GX
Here’s what some followers defending Adele’s look argued
Several followers came to her rescue by claiming that it was not cultural appropriation.
And I don’t think everything is culture appropriation- when people were going off on Adele for rocking the Bantu knots I said people were doing too much, it wasn’t that. But from time you had nothing to say about your own band mates experience with racism. You can leave it out.
@ScorpStarr Honestly I do not know.I don’t feel the outrage these black Americans feel when they see whites or Asians with braids…I remember when they came for Adele when she did Bantu knots till Africans and Jamaicans told them to shut it up..they just want to be outraged at anything imo.
What did Adele clarify about her Bantu Knots look from 2020?
Adele will be on the cover of Vogue Magazine’s November 2021 issue and had a recent interview with the magazine ahead of the launch of her fourth album 30, which is due next month. While being photographed by and speaking to Steven Meisel of Vogue, she talked about the inspiration behind 30 and recalled the Notting Hill Carnival incident.
The 15-time Grammy-winner revealed that she does not always get things right. She said,
“I could see comments being like, ‘the nerve to not take it down,’ which I totally get. But if I take it down, it’s me acting like it never happened.”
Adele further addressed the allegations against cultural appropriation by saying,
“I totally get why people felt like it was appropriating…If you don’t go dressed to celebrate the Jamaican culture – and in so many ways we’re so entwined in that part of London – then it’s a little bit like, ‘What you coming for, then?’ I didn’t read the f**king room.”
Furthermore, the singer also revealed that she sported the Bantu knots to protect her afro hair, but apparently, it ruined her hair.
The Bantu knots originated from the Zulu people of southern Africa, according to beauty website Byrdie. The hairstyle is supposedly protective but can be harmful to hair if the rolls are twisted too tightly. This is likely to have happened to Adele, who said:
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“I was wearing a hairstyle that is actually to protect Afro hair. Ruined mine, obviously.”
Although several people slammed those who criticized Adele’s choice of Bantu knots, the timing of the incident did not help Adele’s cause. During that time, “Black Lives Matter” protests had a lot of traction after George Floyd’s death in May 2020.
LIVE POLL
Q. Was Adele’s Bantu knots look cultural appropriation or appreciation?
Yes, it was in poor taste.
No, she was just celebrating African culture.
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