A popular band at the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival has sparked outrage with its latest costumes that incorporate aboriginal headdresses.

Carnival Nationz has been accused of appropriating indigenous Canadian culture with costumes intended to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation being celebrated across Canada this year. Some of the costumes unveiled ahead of the hugely popular Caribbean Carnival in August include headdresses in various colours.

“When I first saw the costumes…I was in disbelief and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Denise Stonefish, deputy grand chief of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians, told CTV News Channel Thursday.

Stonefish said the headdress is “our traditional and cultural regalia that has much more meaning.

“The headdress is revered in our culture and is not worn just by anybody,” she added.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Carnival Nationz said it “erred in the presentation” of some of its costumes and apologized to anyone who was offended and hurt.

The group said the costumes intended to “pay homage to Canada’s First Nation people” and were a product of a “long and meaningful discussion” with a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, located north of Toronto.

“We left this powerful meeting inspired and the pieces produced for the sections were products of this positive interaction,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, we erred in the presentation of some of these pieces…Our intention was not to be disrespectful to the First Nations people but to be inclusive of them and to celebrate their true contribution to Canada.”

Carnival Nationz (CNz) is aware of the comments and controversy surrounding two of our sections for 2017. These sections...

Posted by Carnival Nationz on Thursday, May 4, 2017

But Stonefish said she believes the band’s costumes were “the result of a lack of education and cultural sensitivity.” She said the band should have done more research to determine how to sensitively incorporate a nod to indigenous culture in its carnival presentation.

Carnival Nationz said it’s now “in the process of speaking further with chief and council of a First Nation band for further directive to make sure our 2017 depiction is authentic to the First Nation's people of Canada.”