The Meredith Music Festival 2014 lineup dropped this morning, with a characteristically diverse and compelling selection of artists both domestic and international, giving plenty of enough reason to make the annual pilgrimage once more to The ‘Sup.
If you’re planning on hitting Meredith this December however, remember to stock up on your tinnies and don’t forget the esky and tent pegs. But make sure you leave the native American headdress at home…
A minor but significant update has been made to Meredith list of ‘Banned Items‘ for 2014, as the eagle-eyed folks at Beat spotted, adding “offensive signage, slogans, clothing, costumes” alongside the usually prohibited no-nos. But where items like gas bottles, generators, flares, fireworks, BBQs, and glass of any kind are regular yearly offenders, the offensive costuming element is a first from benevolent festival matriarch Aunty Meredith.
Making the point very clear, the word ‘costume’ links directly to an article on Native Appropriations.com entitled ‘But Why Can’t I Wear A Hipster Headdress?’ exploring the ethical ins and outs of why Native American headgear is highly offensive.
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On a more lighthearted note, does the ban on offensive clothing and costumes include the ever-pervasive animal onesies? Would that be a case of censorship or should we just assume it falls under Meredith’s famed ‘No D!ckhe@ds’ policy?
Jokes aside, though feathered headdresses feel like a regular sight at music festivals Australian and abroad since time immemorial, the cultural appropriation has become a swelling issue that’s fit to burst this year as several music-related instances have hit major headlines around the world.
Earlier this year, The Flaming Lips and their now ex-long-term drummer, Kliph Scurlock, got into a very ugly war of words triggered by the drummer taking offence to a friend of frontman Wayne Coyne’s donning a Native American headdress in a publicity shoot.
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Similarly, Pharrell Williams made his own cultural gaffe in June when he sparked backlash for posing on the cover of Elle magazine sporting what was actually a ceremonial headpiece usually reserved for chiefs and warriors. As The Guardian details, the ‘Happy’ hit-maker eventually issued a public apology, stating: “I am genuinely sorry. I respect and honour every kind of race, background and culture.”
Then just last month, a Canadian music festival banned attendees from wearing feather headdresses. Organisers of the event, Bass Coast, instructing patrons to leave their fancy dress at home out of respect for “the dignity of aboriginal people.”
A statement further iterated: “We understand why people are attracted to war bonnets, they have a magnificent aesthetic. But their spiritual, cultural and aesthetic significance cannot be separated […] Bass Coast festival takes place on indigenous land and […] we feel our policy aligns with [aboriginal peoples’] views and wishes regarding the subject. Their opinion is what matters to us.”
It seems that without a long-winded statement, Aunty Meredith and her benevolent acolytes have taken the same stand with their Banned Items revision.
It’s certainly an interesting point of discussion, and timely given that Beyond The Valley – the brand new Philip Island NYE Festival which also announced an impressive lineup this week – has been using cultural appropriation that some may frown upon in its promotional material and visual aesthetics.
Plenty of food for thought while you view the Beyond The Valley trailer below.
Meredith Music Festival 2014 Dates & Tickets
Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre
December 12th-14th, 2014
Head to http://2014.mmf.com.au/ for more info and to subscribe for the ticket ballot
Ballot draw for existing Subscribers: August 11th
Meredith Music Festival 2014 Lineup
The War On Drugs
Ty Segall
The Skatalites
Mark Lanegan
De La Soul
Augie March
Sleep
James Holden Live
Cloud Nothings
The Lemonheads
Ghostface Killah
Phosphorescent
The Bombay Royale
Factory Floor
Painters And Dockers
Mia Dyson
Tiny Ruins
The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra
Blank Realm
Misty Nights
Teeth & Tongue
Vakula
Marlon Williams
Dr Phil Smith
Hard-Ons
+ more to be announced
