Native headdresses, fake dreadlocks, banned for university frosh week

By

All good trends start at Osheaga: After the Montreal music festival banned attendees from wearing Native headdresses this past summer, at least one Ontario university has followed suit.

Face-covering bandanas and fake dreadlocks are also off-limits to Western University students during orientation (or frosh) week. According to the Western Gazette, the rules actually came into effect in August.

Mohawks, turbans and hijabs are also banned, unless of course they’re used by students or staff as part of their cultural and religious identity.

One of the reasons behind the decision is a fear cultural appropriation, where people from one culture use elements of another as a costume or gimmick.

“While the use of dreadlocks made of colourful synthetic fibres have been used by many of the [groups] in recent years, [the Orientation Planning Committee] has concerns about their use for reasons of cultural appropriation,” Peggy Wakabayashi, director of residences for Western, told the Gazette.

Cultural appropriation is the same reason Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj ‘feuded’ at the MTV VMAs. The rapper criticized the music industry as a whole for appropriating – and profiting from – black culture. Cyrus, who has twerked in the past, criticized Minaj for speaking out, telling the New York Times that Minaj’s comments weren’t “very nice.”

Cyrus also showed up to the award ceremony in white dreadlocks.

Minaj, on stage to accept her award for hip-hop video of the year, spoke directly to Cyrus: ” And now, back to this b#@h that had a lot to say about me in the press. Miley, what’s good?”

The Western Gazette reported that the bandanas were banned because they may be “unwelcoming” and “may disturb some incoming students that have come from countries where they have been exposed to violence and unrest.”

Western isn’t the first university to ban items during frosh week: Queen’s University in Kingston and Acadia University in Nova Scotia both banned alcohol during frosh week, while other universities are reconsidering sexist chants that promote rape.

Did Western go to far? Or should more items be banned during orientation week? Let us know in the comments.

 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today