Chris Hemsworth criticised for cultural appropriation after dressing up in traditional Native American accessories

The image was posted by his wife Elsa Pataky

Hemsworth and Pataky married in 2010 (Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

Chris Hemsworth has been criticised after a photo of him dressed in traditional Native American attire was posted by his wife, the actress Elsa Pataky.

The image shows Hemsworth amongst a group of people, many of whom are wearing traditional Native American headgear while Hemsworth, 32, is pictured in a long dark-haired wig and wearing warpaint.

The image was taken at a New Years Eve party which reportedly had a Wild Wild West theme and was posted by Pataky.

Some users on Instagram criticised the Thor actor for cultural appropriation, with one user writing: “Native Americans have suffered enough abuse at the hands of white people. Why add insensitive and offensive cultural appropriation to the list?”

Another user commented: “This is about defending our history. The setting that is depicted here was a time when Native people were removed from their lands, homes and killed because they were different and had different beliefs.”

Others defended the actor couple and their friends for dressing up for a party, suggesting the couple made an “innocent mistake” in posting the photo.

In November, 2014, Ellie Goulding was criticised for sharing an image of her wearing Native American headgear for Halloween which led the Conservative MP Philip Davies to defend her, saying those criticising her were “politically correct do-gooders”.

Prior to this in June, 2014, Pharrell Williams apologised for wearing a Native American headdress on the cover of ELLE magazine, saying: “I am genuinely sorry. I respect and honour every kind of race, background or culture.”

Nearing the end of 2014, Glastonbury announced they would ban the sale of Native American headdresses, which were previously a popular accessory worn at the festival.

The ban followed a petition which argued that wearing such headwear is an “offensive and disrespectful form of cultural appropriation, that it homogenises diverse indigenous peoples, and that it perpetuates damaging, archaic and racist stereotypes”.

A spokesperson for Hemsworth has been contacted by the Independent for comment.