On Sunday, Adele cursed the Internet when she posted a picture on Instagram wearing a bikini top of the Jamaican flag and bantu knots, a hair style that originated in Africa.
“Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London,” the caption read, in reference to the annual diversity celebration in the British capital.
The picture was instantly polarizing and some accused Adele of cultural appropriation, which is loosely defined as the practice of taking customs or ideas from other cultures by a dominant group. Many top comments on the picture, which have since been deleted, took offense specifically to her bantu knots.
Bantu knots originated in Africa as a protective hairstyle and have existed for at least one hundred years. Its name refers to the Bantu people, an umbrella term for several ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa who share a similar language. The knots have made a recent comeback in pop culture and were re-popularized by celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith.
Although many fans were outraged, others disagreed with the backlash.
“Actually Jamaicans don’t care we love seeing our culture being celebrated,” one top comment read.
I can’t believe it African Americans are fighting Adele for that one pic but have Latinos like 6ix9ine, Fat Joe and J-Lo saying Nigga in plain sight
— Empty (@FardaRose) August 31, 2020
“Isn’t it funny that most British African and Caribbean commenters are actually happy that Adele is celebrating their culture, while most Americans are saying she is appropriating a culture?!” another wrote. “Gosh! When will Americans learn to stop viewing others with their own warped belief that the world revolves around their opinions and standards? THIS IS THE UNITED KINGDOM. Not the United States. We actually do things differently here.”
