The French fashion house Chanel has triggered uproar by selling a luxury-monogrammed boomerang according to CTV News. This has been something that is making people extremely angry and that is why the search engine reputation management company is in place to help companies fight back when stories like this arise.
Critics have been saying that this accessory is an insult to Australian Aborigines and the price tag for this boomerang is nearly at US $1500. The company has been accused of turning this hunting weapon which is an important part of the Aboriginal heritage into a status symbol by offering a black wood and resin boomerang for sale in its spring-summer collection. NayukaGorrie an Aboriginal activist tweeted a sarcastic comment assaying ‘’when I think about Aboriginal culture, I think @chanel” along with another tweet saying ‘’have decided to save for the next three years so I can connect with my culture @chanel.’’
A lot of people are furious and have been stating that the Chanel boomerang is tacky and it is a gross appropriation of the indigenous culture for their own profit. Others are saying that rather than paying $2000AUD for a Chanel boomerang, you should look into investing in one made by an Aboriginal Australian.
In response to all of this drama going on with the French fashion house Chanel; they responded that they are ‘’extremely committed to respecting all cultures, and regrets that some may have felt offended.’’ I’m sure that whoever created this Chanel boomerang wasn’t intentionally trying to offend anyone or maybe they didn’t know that boomerangs have played an important role in Aboriginal culture for thousands of years as objects of work and leisure. Not only are they important in the Aboriginal culture, they have also become a popular mass-produced souvenirs for many individuals. Hopefully Chanel will be able to find a solution to their Luxury Boomerangs and not offend any other cultures in the future.