Rihanna's 'Sacred' Photoshoot

As a fan of Rihanna, I admire 99% of anything she does or puts out into the world and her music is incredibly catchy. But a few years ago, Rihanna and her team attempted to have a certain impromptu photo-shoot that is an intense example of cultural appropriation as well as pure ignorance.

The photo-shoot occurred at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, a sacred place of worship for muslims. Consider it similar to the Vatican for Abu Dhabi. While Rihanna was visiting, she decided to use the location as a spot for a photo-shoot. Let me guess, it looked 'exotic'? Edward Said's theory of Othering and Orientalism is highlighted in this particular example. While she was completely covered for this, the cultural appropriation is crystal clear here since Rihanna is turning not only a cultural, but a religious place into a playground for this photo-shoot. Wearing a religious headscarf when you aren't part of the religion and taking photos of yourself outside a sacred building? Sounds a lot like being 5 years old, putting on costumes and playing dress up to me. The history and meaning behind the hijab is one that already people have the wrong idea about. Rihanna isn't trying to say "Hey guys, women don't wear this hijab because men make them! They wear them out of their own choice for modesty and wanting to show that a women's body is sacred, something to be looked after and not flaunted at any chance you get!". Had Rihanna's message been this, it might not have been so offensive. The gold jewellery and bright red lipstick and nail polish are complete contradictions to what the hijab symbolises, making it even more offensive, if possible.

But Rihanna's message implies that it's okay to use another person's culture and religion in their own sacred building and without consent, have an impromptu photo-shoot for your Instagram! This is also an example of cultural flattening since she is using the hijab and a mosque to represent a culture and religion that has so much more to offer than just basic symbols of what the world knows it has.

In addition to this, "Independent UK' wrote a post about this explaining, 'Although Rihanna dressed conservatively in a head-to-toe black jumpsuit with her hair covered, the photographs were said to have been taken in an area normally off limits to visitors.' Note, 'The Photographs were said to...', as if people should be questioning the reliability of those who work for the mosque. The way this article explains the situation gives people the idea that it's crazy that someone can think they can kick Rihanna out of a sacred place and that the decision is outrageous. That she was doing absolutely nothing wrong and even if she was, she's Rihanna?!

It's crazy to me that if you're a celebrity, no matter what you do, people will find a way to defend you and stick by what you do, even if what they are doing is disregarding the history and meaning of a religion. This just shows that the idea of 'The Other' will always be reinforced if people don't start understanding that the Eastern culture isn't just something someone can adopt at a surface level for 20 minutes and leave behind. No culture or religion should have to face appropriation, Othering or flattening. All cultures are something to respect, admire and sometimes, be lucky enough to actually understand and acquire knowledge about.  

References:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/rihanna-told-to-leave-abu-dhabi-mosque-over-improper-photo-shoot-8894858.html