Vanessa Hudgens may want to stay off of social media, because her posts always seem to get her into trouble. The former High School Musical star is being accused of cultural appropriation after posting two recent Instagram photos that show her wearing a dreamcatcher in her hair during a fashion shoot, according to Entertainment Tonight .
Hudgens is being slammed for the photos, with some critics accusing her of appropriating Native American culture because she is wearing a purple a dreamcatcher in her long locks in two of the artsy shots.
“Chin up, Princess… Or the crown slips,” Hudgens captioned one of the photos, which clearly showcases the dreamcatcher in her hair.
Several social media commenters called out Vanessa Hudgens for repeatedly disrespecting other cultures to look “boho.” Another follower pointed out that while Hudgens is actually part Native American, using a dreamcatcher as “hair jewelry” is not something that should ever be done. The user challenged Vanessa Hudgens fans to single out a tribe that does such a thing.
A dreamcatcher is a small hoop containing a mesh made of string or horsehair and decorated with feathers and beads. The handmade piece is believed to give its owner good dreams. Dreamcatchers were originally made by American Indians and they are not typically worn in the hair.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Vanessa Hudgens has accessorized with a dreamcatcher. In April, Hudgens’ hairstylist Riawna Capri shared a photo of the actress wearing the controversial hair accessory to a Coachella show, but that snap apparently flew under the radar because it wasn’t posted to Vanessa Hudgens’ personal social media page.
Vanessa Hudgens has previously been criticized for some of her other fashion accessories. Hudgens was once accused of being disrespectful to Hinduism and Indian culture after wearing a bindi. Hudgens even posted a post-Bindi Instagram snap, joking about the mark the bindi left on her forehead after all of the dust blowing around while she was at Coachella.
Hudgens later irked some followers when she posted a photo of herself wearing a Native American headdress while dancing to Arcade Fire at a music festival. While some pointed out that the Coachella Queen’s late father was of Native American descent, the debate on Vanessa’s cultural clashes continued.
Vanessa Hudgens made headlines recently for her stunning performance as Rizzo on Fox’s Grease: Live just one day after her father passed away. But shortly after she completed her highly acclaimed stint on the live Fox musical, Hudgens was reported to be “under investigation” after she posted an online photo of a heart carved into red rock while on a Valentine’s Day trip to Sedona, Arizona, with boyfriend Austin Butler.
Hudgens posted the photo of red rock with a heart and the names “Vanessa and Austin” carved into it on her Instagram page, before realizing that defacing a national feature on U.S. Forest Service land is a violation of federal law. Vanessa quickly deleted the photo after critics pointed out it is illegal to deface the precious rock. While Vanessa was at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to six months in jail and a maximum $5,000 fine, the actress was ultimately slapped with a $1,000 fine, according to Us Weekly .
Now, just a few months later, Vanessa’s in hot water again thanks to a social media snap. No matter what she has done in the past, Vanessa Hudgens’ recent dreamcatcher pics have turned into a bit of a nightmare.
Take a look at the video below for more on Vanessa Hudgens and her latest cultural controversy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaANaSlSCkg
[Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images]