Greta Van Fleet vocalist Josh Kiszka has acknowledged his history of Indigenous cultural appropriation.
Held accountable by a fan-run campaign called #SpeakUpGVF, he issued a statement to the band's Indigenous fans on Instagram on Monday (April 18), writing:
I see you. I've taken time to listen and gather my thoughts. My appreciation for Indigenous culture is bigger than myself. I recognize the harm that ignorance can have on marginalized communities, something I'd never want to perpetuate. Hate, disrespect and prejudice of any kind are not welcome in this community.
As I've come into adulthood, I've been able to grow and learn. This growth has not stopped and will not stop here. The Chippewa tribe has had a particularly profound impact on my life having been exposed to their ceremonies and customs during my early years growing up in Michigan.
He added that he had made a charitable donation to the First Nations Development Institute, and urged others to support the cause.
The #SpeakUpGVF campaign was created specifically in response to a series of photos Kiszka posted on the social media platform back in 2017, wherein he and his friends wear replicas of sacred Indigenous dress. Fans requested that these images be properly addressed, apologized for and removed from the musician's account. Kiszka also wore Indigenous-inspired costumes on tour in 2018.
See the bandleader's Instagram post below.
Greta Van Fleet will play in Canada on their North American tour this August.
Held accountable by a fan-run campaign called #SpeakUpGVF, he issued a statement to the band's Indigenous fans on Instagram on Monday (April 18), writing:
I see you. I've taken time to listen and gather my thoughts. My appreciation for Indigenous culture is bigger than myself. I recognize the harm that ignorance can have on marginalized communities, something I'd never want to perpetuate. Hate, disrespect and prejudice of any kind are not welcome in this community.
As I've come into adulthood, I've been able to grow and learn. This growth has not stopped and will not stop here. The Chippewa tribe has had a particularly profound impact on my life having been exposed to their ceremonies and customs during my early years growing up in Michigan.
He added that he had made a charitable donation to the First Nations Development Institute, and urged others to support the cause.
The #SpeakUpGVF campaign was created specifically in response to a series of photos Kiszka posted on the social media platform back in 2017, wherein he and his friends wear replicas of sacred Indigenous dress. Fans requested that these images be properly addressed, apologized for and removed from the musician's account. Kiszka also wore Indigenous-inspired costumes on tour in 2018.
See the bandleader's Instagram post below.
Greta Van Fleet will play in Canada on their North American tour this August.
