Khloé Kardashian knows how to ruffle feathers.
While celebrating North West’s first birthday with a Coachella-themed party, dubbed Kidchella, on Saturday, the 29-year-old sent the Internet into a tizzy by wearing a Native American war bonnet.
In another photo, Kardashian appeared next to a teepee sitting with her legs crossed and eyes closed. “Ray of clouds. Chirping of birds. Gurgling of water. Granting desire. One with water. #Kidchella my first Coachella!!!,” read the caption to the controversial photo.
“Wow,” said Cliff Matias, cultural director of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, upon seeing the images.
“There’s no way she’s not in tune with what’s been happening in the media,” Matias said, referring to the Redskins’ trademark cancellation. “I can’t even say she’s not even aware.”
Matias called the snapshot “insensitive” and says celebrities can no longer pretend they are ignorant on the issue. “It’s terrible,” insisted Matias. “It’s absolutely terrible that they have no conscience to discontinue to do such things.”
When asked if he’s offended when he sees celebrities disrespecting his culture for “art” or style, Matias replied, “Of course.”
“But it’s also sad. It’s really sad that people who are celebrities don’t take the responsibility and the understanding that they are trendsetters and they influence people, especially young people. It’s a responsibility that I don’t think a lot of them acknowledge that they have.”
He continued, “I just can’t believe she would be that insensitive to think it was OK to wear that war bonnet at a kids’ party … Now you have a celebrity at a kids’ party creating a whole new generation of insensitive thinking.”
At the beginning of June, Pharrell Williams was scolded for wearing a war bonnet on the cover of Elle UK. In response to the backlash, Williams issued an apology.
A rep for Kardashian had no comment.