Genocide, terror, abduction, bombings, annihilation….the Israel-Hamas conflict is propelled into a war when the world decided to take sides instead of finding a resolution.
The Palestinian plight has reached a new level of human rights violations. Associating the Hamas group terror with the innocent civilians of Palestine has stripped away their right to live.
Meanwhile, Israel’s attack on Gaza after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023, has claimed over 2,215 civilians (per the Palestinian Ministry of Health), while the allies see this number as mere collateral damage.
When innocent lives are at stake, peace is the only way to preach against anti-war propaganda. Pink had the same intention in mind when she used a specific symbol at her concert, but it may have misfired.
On October 16, during Pink’s Summer Carnival tour, rare flags were used on the stage. Netizens drew conclusions that the white-and-blue bicolored flags must represent Israel, thus deducing that Pink is supporting Israel in the ongoing war. However, Pink quickly clarified that these were Poi flags, seen in the Maori culture, and are considered a symbol of peace and harmony.
What Is Poi Flags? What Does the Poi Represent?
“Poi” is quite an interesting concept in Maori culture. The origins of Poi can be traced to the time when Maori men used Poi as a device to improve their strength and flexibility.
As you see, the rope is attached to a ball thing at the end that the Maori people rotate. This is an excellent device to work out the arm muscles. A Poi was originally made by wrapping leaves of Harakeke, a type of New Zealand flax. The ball was made of the soft down of raupō, a wetland plant known as bullrush.
Nowadays, Poi has several renditions made from wool, cotton, and plastic.
On the other hand, Maori women used Poi as a part of a dance routine for one segment of the whare täpere, meaning the “house of entertainment,” as explained by Māori researcher Dr. Karyn Paringatai.
Over the years, with the struggles of the tribe, Poi became a symbol of peace amidst their fight for legal rights and their identity.
But the Western fusion of the culture birthed new versions of Poi, including a flag attached to the end of the tether instead of a ball. However, Maori people have argued that the flag does not represent their culture at all.
Did Pink Fly Israeli Flag at Her Concert?
Pink stated that she has been incorporating the Poi flag since day 1 of her Summer Carnival Tour.
Per her clarification, her perception of the poi flag represents peace and equality. She did not intend to support any of the sides in the ongoing conflict.
However, netizens were not entirely convinced by her argument, considering that the indigenous people never had anything called a poi flag.
It seems that the flag is an artistic choice of the new age, but it low-key comes off as cultural appropriation. Many New Zealanders pointed out that Pink should not be using something so significant for the tribe, even though her intentions came from a good place.
Meanwhile, some netizens also argued that the deliberate choice of blue and white combination for the flags could heavily imply supporting Israel when Palestine lies in ruins.
Several celebrities have been receiving flak for even mentioning the ongoing war. Recently, Jamie Lee Curtis’s post drew similar criticisms, and she received massive hate for it.
Meanwhile, “Boycott Starbucks” was trending on X after the workers’ union expressed their support for Palestinians.
Netizens Have Mixed Reaction On Pink Flying The Poi Flags In Her Concert
What is your take on this? Do you believe Pink intended to show support for Israel? Do you believe that the poi flags are cultural appropriations? Or do you side with Pink, who just wanted to propagate peace through her music?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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