Swiss Reggae Band Lauwarm Forced To Stop Performance After Complaints Of Cultural Appropriation

Switzerland-based Reggae band Lauwarm was forced to stop a recent performance after audience members complained that they felt “uncomfortable” because two of its white members were sporting dreadlocks and colored clothes from Senegal and Gambia.

According to the critics, the “cultural appropriation” was about Lauwarm playing Jamaican Reggae music, although they themselves have never experienced colonialism or racism.

The Times reported that the concert, which was being held in the Swiss city of Bern, was canceled by the organizer after several patrons complained that they felt “uncomfortable with the situation.”

“The owners of the venue – the cultural venue and restaurant “Brasserie Lorraine” – then decided, after talking to the band, to call off the concert. The whole thing happened on July 18 and was picked up by several Swiss media,” the publication wrote.

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The report noted that after a conversation with the band, the restaurant decided to cancel the concert and apologised to “everyone for whom the concert had caused bad feelings”. The following day it issued a statement specifying “that members of the band or white people are not automatically racists”.

In a Facebook post, The Brasserie reportedly issued another statement expressing regret about what had transpired.

“We would like to apologize to everyone who felt bad about the concert. We failed to deal with it enough in advance and to protect you.   Our awareness gaps and the reaction of many guests to the cancellation of the concert have shown us once again that the topic is emotionally charged,” they noted.

However, another report noted that Dominik Plumettaz, the band leader and singer, said the group had performed many times since it was formed a year ago but had never received complaints about appropriation.

“We were completely surprised.  When we played, there was a good atmosphere,” adding that during the break, the restaurant told them about the complaints.

“After that, we felt uncomfortable and decided to stop. Unfortunately, the critics did not come out publicly and we couldn’t have a conversation with them, which we regret,” he said.

In dismissing the accusations of cultural appropriation, Plumettaz also said that he understood that “some people are sensitive to this issue, but music thrives on the mixing of cultures”.

“It’s important to us that we have this discussion – neutral and based on respect,” he said.

“We treat all cultures with respect, but we also stand by the music we play, our appearance and the way we are,” the band also wrote on its Instagram account.

The incident was also broached for discussion by SWI Swiss Info, the international unit of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), which noted that in some quarters “cultural appropriation” is said to be occurring when members of a dominant, usually white, culture use elements of a minority culture that they had systematically suppressed, such as Africans or Native Americans.

“In addition to Native American carnival costumes, the wearing of dreadlocks by whites is a frequently cited example of cultural appropriation,” the publication noted.

“The charge of cultural appropriation in the music industry is an old one. Many white producers – and artists like Elvis – made money off songs sung by black composers that otherwise were unheard of. White rapper Eminem has also been embroiled in the debate, as has British reggae band UB40, whose white and black members have made fortunes on pop versions of Jamaican classics,” it added.

The issue also became a topic for discussion on Swiss public television, with social scientist Henri-Michel Yéré of the University of Basel, noting that “cultural appropriation” is also when a cultural aspect is played out as a cliché, without respect for the history of the minority in question.

Yéré also said that “in all societies where there are minorities who feel under pressure – culturally, financially, sexually – such questions will arise at some point”, but that it was misguided to simply ban people with white skin from wearing dreadlocks, “because it can also be a gesture of solidarity”.

“However, this is not just about a cultural exchange.   One must also be aware of the respective context and associated power relations,” he said.