LOONA’s New MV Is Sparking Debates Over Indian Cultural Appropriation—Here’s What Each Side Is Saying
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LOONA just released a new music video teaser for their upcoming title track, “PTT (Paint the Town),” and fans are debating whether the members’ attire could be considered appropriative of Indian culture.
Two distinct headpieces from the “&3” teaser are being examined by K-Pop fans: the piece worn by Hyunjin…
… and the piece worn by Vivi.
Indian fans across social media have expressed mixed opinions on the adornments. Some are certain that Hyunjin and Vivi’s headpieces are culturally appropriative because of their similarity to the maang tikka and matha patti—two traditional South Asian jewelry pieces.
A maang tikka is a piece of forehead jewelry made up of a chain and pendant. A matha patti is a more elaborate version of this style, featuring bold bands of precious metals and jewels.
Both are considered integral parts of the solah shringar: a series of adornments Indian brides wear for their weddings. Traditionally, these adornments form rituals that help brides transcend into the power of marriage.
why what vivi and hyunjin are wearing IS cultural appropriation — a thread by a desi
first, what are maang tikkas and matha pattis ?
maang tikkas and matha pattis are both kinds of hairpieces worn by desi women during weddings, celebrations, & special occasions like holidays. pic.twitter.com/cDtSBgZQnL
— haseul thinker (@thinkshaseul) June 24, 2021
seem like a pretty pendant, it isn’t. matha pattis and maang tikkas hold a special meaning to desis, since they come from hinduism. in hinduism there are a few main centers of energy in our bodies, which we call the chakras. these chakras create a continuous flow of energy
— haseul thinker (@thinkshaseul) June 24, 2021
Since these pieces have cultural significance, many fans say that Hyunjin and Vivi’s headpieces in the music video teaser are offensive and should not have been worn. However, some have differing opinions.
There are several Indian fans on social media who say that while Hyunjin and Vivi’s headpieces do appear to be inspired by maang tikkas and matha pattis, they believe this should be considered cultural appreciation rather than cultural appropriation.
pls i’m desi and it’s not ca it’s cultural appreciation…
— lala⁷ ????
LOONA BOLLYWOOD ERA (@jinsouIcafe) June 24, 2021
While the solah shringar did originally have strong ties to Hinduism and spirituality, some say it’s become purely about beauty these days rather than cultural significance. As such, some feel that these headpieces are more of an aesthetic choice than a cultural one. Fans who hold this viewpoint, therefore, don’t believe that LOONA’s choice of jewelry is offensive.
please as a desi person that does not look like a maang tikka to me and even so the headpieces are mostly for aesthetic in the first place
— &vi (@oddeyeicrcle) June 24, 2021
That aside, some fans disagree with both of these viewpoints entirely. According to another group of Indian Orbits, Hyunjin and Vivi’s headpieces may not be considered inspired by maang tikkas or matha pattis at all. These fans see closer proximity to ancient Greek or Roman headpieces than traditional Indian jewelry.
Why the headpieces worn by Hyunjin and Vivi in the &3 trailer is NOT DESI CA a thread by a Desi
What is a maang tikka ?
A maang tikka is a piece of jewellery typically worn by Indian women on the forehead, and are similar to the concept of head harnesses. Pt1 pic.twitter.com/DOrzMyw8Ya
— aki ot12 biased¹² LOONA IS COMING
What Hyunjin and Vivi wear seems to be more Greek goddesses if anything which is a concept they are doing by looking at the teaser pics
The headpieces desis wear these days are not all our actual traditional ones The original headpieces were strictly made of gold or silver pt1 pic.twitter.com/yk6395tcr6— aki ot12 biased¹² LOONA IS COMING
However, since BlockBerry Creative has already announced that LOONA’s new title track, “PTT (Paint the Town),” will have Bollywood (Hindi cinema) influences, many fans believe that it’s more likely the company was aiming to emulate Indian cultural dress.
Given that there are many conflicting viewpoints, some are urging others to consider the opinions of all Indian K-Pop fans rather than accepting one perspective and invalidating others.
there is no definite "it is ca" "it isn't ca" when it comes to some things like y'all cannot just take one persons opinion on it please be informed before you start emailing companies
— the loona in question (@hyeseuIs) June 24, 2021
Just a gentle reminder that the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation is sometimes vague. With this, we should respect what people from the specific culture would say. They can also have different opinions about something. Do not speak over them or invalidate them.
— kiarra is meeting LOONA OT12 ♡ (@najeongsryujin) June 24, 2021
In the past, LOONA has been praised for cultural awareness, with the 2019 “Butterfly” music video featuring actors of multiple ethnicities.
However, the group also came under fire last year as fans debated whether many of the outfits from their [12:00] teasers could be considered Native American cultural appropriation.
BlockBerry Creative is yet to address the current discussions.
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