As for the Fashion appropriation that we were talking about in the Voodoo Queen way, I have a bird skull from Talonalia that I incorporate into outfits, I love little baubles and clutter anyhow. I love the bright color schemes, but I don’t necessarily put them all together, slap on some blackface and head to work. I like the idea of mischief-magic, and I do note that a lot of the beliefs are rooted in the power of good things that come into your life which is what much of the Vodun belief is based on. There are certain forces that bring things into your life. Excellent. That’s not necessarily appropriation – it’s inspiration. I think I could wear a draped skirt in a sari-like fashion and if I wore it in an ethnically responsible way (as in, not wearing full sari, or some sacred pattern that’s used only in a ceremonial light) it would be more inspired and less appropriated.

Fact, Egyptian women don’t necessarily bare their bellies when they dance even when in an all-women party so all the woo-woo surrounding loving your body enough to bare your belly during a routine is completely full of poop. So what if there are bellydance workouts? The only form of exercise that my mother and aunts do is bellydance because they can’t stand the gym and mindless prancing about of aerobic dance routines.

When it comes to fashion, why can’t you be inspired by the items used and the colour scheme as opposed to adopting it all wholesale that it’s almost right away recognised as a Voodoo Queen thing or whatever? That is appropriation. If one were to be inspired by the rich colours of a sari and incorporate that into a piece of clothing that looks nothing like traditional Indian clothes, that’s fine. If you’re sending a model down the runway complete with bindis and peacock feather accessories and henna tattoos with the name of the show being “The Queens of India” along with some Indian-sounding music though it’s likely to be from another part of the world, THAT is appropriation.