Greta Van Fleet’s Josh Kiszka Acknowledges Indigenous Appropriation, Makes Donation to Native American-Targeted Nonprofit

Greta Van Fleet singer Josh Kiszka is displaying assist for his Indigenous followers after receiving backlash for a resurfaced 2017 Instagram submit, during which he’s seen sporting sacred apparel.

“To our Indigenous followers, I see you,” Kiszka wrote by way of an announcement uploaded to Instagram on Monday (April 18). “I’ve taken time to hear and collect my ideas. My appreciation for Indigenous tradition is greater than myself. I acknowledge the hurt that ignorance can have on marginalized communities, one thing I’d by no means wish to perpetuate. Hate, disrespect, and prejudice of any variety are usually not welcome on this group. As I’ve come into maturity, I’ve been capable of develop and be taught. This progress has not stopped and won’t cease right here.

He continued, “The Chippewa tribe has had a very profound influence on my life, having been uncovered to their ceremonies and customs throughout my early years rising up in Michigan.”

Kiszka concluded by noting that he made a “charitable donation” to the First Nations Improvement Institute, a nonprofit group that assists Native American tribes, their communities and past in financial growth by means of technical help, coaching, coverage and grants.

Kiszka’s assertion comes per week after the hashtag #SpeakUpGVF was circulating round social media, with a observe calling out an incident in 2017, during which the singer shared “a number of images of himself and mates donning copies of sacred Indigenous put on.”

“These images have by no means been addressed or deleted  regardless of being culturally appropriative and offensive to numerous Native cultures,” the observe continues. “Indigenous followers and people practising allyship have tried to contact Josh and ask him to take away the images and handle the cultural appropriation, however he continues to remain silent and the images proceed to remain up. Remaining silent on that is upsetting and ignorant because it upholds racist ideologies that Indigenous cultures are merely a dressing up, when they’re sacred and never open for appropriation.”

See the complete observe beneath.