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New Zealand Band Faces Criticism for Scattering Ashes of Dead Member on Award Show Stage

The New Zealand rock band Headless Chickens are under fire for scattering the ashes of their late bass player onstage at an award show on Tuesday.

The group paid tribute to Grant Fell — who lost his three-year battle with cancer in January — by sprinkling his remains onstage at the Taite Music Awards in Auckland, where the band were being honored for their 1987 album Stunt Clown.

“I think Grant probably always wanted to play on this stage,” said Chris Matthews, Headless Chickens’ vocalist, as he accepted the award. He then proceeded to pour a small vial of ash, presumably the remains of Fell, onto the stage before launching into a song with the band.

According to eyewitness reports, the stunt was not well received by members of the audience, many of whom were Maori and found the act deeply disrespectful. Newshub observes that tikanga, the Maori faith, states that the body of the deceased is a physical manifestation of the soul.

TEEKS, a musician of Maori heritage who was nominated for a Taite Music Prize, tweeted that he was glad he didn’t win because he “wouldn’t have gotten on stage with those ashes under my feet.”

“I was raised in a culture where that s— isn’t ok,” he continued. “I’m sure no offence [sic] was intended, totally understand the sentiment behind it and why they thought it might have been a good idea. I guess the thing we need to realise is that we live in two different worlds.”

However, fellow members of Headless Chickens felt that the display was profoundly moving.

“I felt like he was there with us and it was a total magic moment for me,” singer Rupert E. Taylor told Radio New Zealand in the aftermath of the show. “I waved his ashes into my face and all over my Workshop suit…Don’t be upset by it, it was pure and a gorgeous moment, and we loved Grant Fell so much.”

Fell’s widow, Rachael Churchward, issued a statement to NewsHub defending the act, saying that the musician was proud of his Ng?puhi background. “We were not setting out to shock or offend anyone, but Grant wanted his ashes scattered in places he loved — and he loved being on stage playing music,” she says. “I understand it’s not in line with tikanga, but we all come from different places and we don’t adhere to every tradition. Music is a big part of our identity too.”