As of: 03/24/2022 4:58 p.m.
“Friday’s Future” Hanover canceled Ronza Maltson’s appearance in a climate protest on Friday – because he has treadlocks. The Diocese of Hildesheim has criticized the decision.
According to the Bishop’s press office, the fact that the musician, as a white person, wears treadlocks is no reason not to allow her to perform. “The singer’s rating based solely on her hair is exaggerated and intolerable.” The critique relates only to the behavior of the Hanover local group towards Maltson in “Friedas for the Future” (“FFF”). The Diocese of Hildesheim is committed to climate protection, such as “FFF”. The Catholic Diocese had called on the people to take part in the global climate strike.
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“Good phone call” with climate activists
The artist of Bad Pyrmont announced on Wednesday that the concert was canceled on his Instagram account. As a result, there were many comments under the entry, and many journalists were invited, Maltson said. He said in a written reply that he had received a good phone call from “FFF” activists, in which he “apologized for the insensitive tone.” “I want to make it clear that I do not want to start a conflict at this point.” In her video message, the singer insisted on sharing “Friday for the Future” values. She did not want that system to go bad. “I would like to invite all of you to start the conversation in a polite manner,” he said.
Is rejection discriminatory?
Colonial activists justified the rejection, saying they “especially relied on the story of anti-colonialism and racism in this global strike.” “FFF” Hanover’s website states that whites should not wear the treadmill “because they have acquired a part of another culture without experiencing the formal oppression behind it”. Activists rationally add the following, which can also be read in the singer’s Instagram post: “We get this too White Congratulations to the people for doing the same haircut that black people are racially abused. That is why there are anti-black symbols […] Do not look for white heads. “
Ronja Maltson regrets the cancellation
Maltson wrote on his Instagram channel that he was looking forward to “being able to set a precedent for peace and discrimination with our music.” It is a pity to be excluded by external traits. He told the German Press Agency (DPA) that he was very supportive of seeing where discrimination exists in our society. But it is also important not to ignore the environment. According to the singer, her inspiration for wearing treadlocks came from alternative circles. Maltson won the Udo Lindenberg Foundation’s Panic Prize for Young Artists last year. Hermann Hesse will co-host the show with Lindenberg at the festival in July.
“FFF” Apologizes – but stays in case of cancellation
In the course of the written rejection, “FFF” offered the musician to appear on Friday’s climate strike – if she had her hair cut by then. Then the letter said “Of course we welcome you to the demo and let you play”. Activists have now apologized for this. This recommendation is an invasion of the artist’s privacy, and “Fridays for Future” Hannover announced on its website that this should not have happened. “Women in this sexual community in particular are often reprimanded for their appearance, and they are not free to dress as they please, and this message is told across borders.” At the same time, however, they stuck to rejecting Maltson. Treadlocks were brought to the United States by the enslavement of black people, who later became a symbol of resistance in the civil rights movements of black people. “So if a white man wears treadlocks, it is a cultural reservation because as whites, we do not have to deal with a history of oppression or collective trauma because of our privilege,” the group wrote in a statement.
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