Jurassic Lounge – Day of the Dead

Jurassic Lounge – Day of the Dead

Jurassic Lounge is returning to the Australian Museum this year. In the past it has been a perfect balance of upbeat pop culture and highbrow education. You can drink beer while perusing encased exotic butterflies or tiny fossils under disco lights. There’s also a huge range of entertainment for when you’ve had enough of a history fix.

This year Jurassic Lounge is using the theme of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, a celebration honouring the passing of family members. Punters can expect performances by Pickled Tink and 2014 Miss Burlesque winner Memphis Mae. There will also be a photo exhibition by Mexican photographer Roberto Duran, and an arts and crafts market selling Mexican jewellery and chocolate skulls.

It’s fantastic that the Australian Museum will give us the chance to learn more about Mexican traditions. Keep in mind though, there’s a line between admiring different cultures and cultural appropriation. While dressing up is encouraged, many minorities find it offensive when their traditions are borrowed for fun.

The people behind Jurassic Lounge have been working closely with the Mexican community. But that doesn’t mean everyone with a Mexican background feels comfortable with the idea of people painting their faces in sugar skull as part of “Mexican Halloween”.

So if you go along to Jurassic Lounge this year, by all means embrace a different culture. But maybe rethink a racist Halloween outfit.

Nov 1, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, $16, jurassiclounge.com/buy-tickets

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