Adele Accused Of Cultural Appropriation After Sharing Photo With Hair In Traditional African Bantu Knots

Adele has been accused of cultural appropriation after sharing a photo of herself on Sunday wearing her hair in Bantu knots, a traditionally African style.

In the post, the singer is pictured wearing the hairstyle, along with a Jamaican flag bikini, yellow feathers, gold jewelry and tie-dye leggings. In the caption she wrote, “Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London,” referencing the British celebration of Caribbean culture that would have taken place around this time, if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Instagram post has garnered more than 4.6 million likes and almost 100,000 comments.

Many of the comments across social media accused the “Hello” singer of cultural appropriation for wearing the historically black hairstyle.

“Many are arguing that Adele was showing appreciation for Carnival and Caribbean culture with her look,” wrote journalist Ateh Jewel for Glamour, “but appreciation turns into appropriation when it’s worn as a party outfit and taken off again and deposed off.”

“Non-Black people need to stop wearing historically black hairstyles for fun,” wrote drag queen The Vixen. “Simply out of respect for the fact that we still to this day are mocked-shamed-targeted and killed for wearing those styles.”