Josh Kizska, the frontman of Greta Van Fleet, has issued an apology after fans accused the singer of cultural appropriation.
Kizska has been known to often wear feather headdresses and other garments belonging to Indigenous communities while performing on stage. A fan-led campaign, known by the hashtag #SpeakUpGVF, has identified photos of Kizska wearing copies of sacred Indigenous articles spanning back to 2017.
“These photos have never been addressed or deleted despite being culturally appropriative and offensive to various Native cultures,” the campaign called for action. “Indigenous fans and those practicing allyship have tried to contact Josh and ask him to remove the photos and address the culture appropriation, but he continues to stay silent and the photos continue to stay up. Remaining silent on this is upsetting and ignorant as it upholds racist ideologies that Indigenous cultures are simply a costume, when they are sacred and not open for appropriation.”
Earlier this week, Kizska finally addressed the issue. In addition to his statement of apology written to Indigenous fans, the singer also sent a charitable donation to the First Nations Development Institute.
Read his statement below.
To our indigenous fans, I see you. I’ve taken time to listen and gather my thoughts. My appreciation for indigenous culture is bigger than myself.
I recognize the harm that ignorance can have on marginalized communities, something I’d never want to perpetuate. Hate, disrespect and prejudice of any kind are not welcome in this community. As I’ve come into adulthood, I’ve been able to grow and learn. This growth has not stopped and will not stop here.
The Chippewa tribe has had a particularly profound impact on my life having been exposed to their ceremonies and customs during my early years growing up in Michigan. I have made a charitable donation [to] the First Nations Development Institute to help keep indigenous traditions like theirs alive and well. Should you want to support with me, please visit firstnations.org. Peace, Love, Unity & Equality. Always. Josh.
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Photo credit: Ben Houdijk / Shutterstock.com