Belgian-based Suntrip Records release sparks petition on 'cultural appropriation'

EDIT (March 6, 2025): After Suntrip Records responded to Mixmag ANZ's questions, we have included their responses in full at the base of the article. We have also included two notes within the piece, which is influenced by comments made by Suntrip Records.

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On the 14th of February, Belgian Goa trance record label Suntrip Records released a compilation entitled ‘TJUKURPA’. It features ‘dot painting’ artwork allegedly done without the involvement of First Nations artists*, and the term ‘Tjukurpa’ is a sacred word also allegedly used without consultation*.

*EDIT: Suntrip Records has shared that: "A First Nations person was involved in the creation of the cover art and was aware that the name "Tjukurpa" was being used. The cover artwork was created by Margot Schaefer (the artist) during a dot-painting workshop that lasted several days, led by an Aboriginal artist touring Belgium in the late 1990s—before the widespread use of the internet."

The release has seen a very vocal online backlash from those within the Australian dance music community, particularly on the page’s Instagram.

‘Tjukurpa’ is a sacred and fundamental concept for Aṉangu, the name used by members of several Aboriginal Australian groups including the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, and Warlpiri Peoples. Local organisations have shared that the term carries profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance, however, Suntrip Records has allegedly at no point consulted or worked with Indigenous community in the production or publication of the release.*

The label’s Bandcamp listing for the publication directly references this term but interprets it as an extension of Goa trance music, saying “when we go deep in trance, we can also reach that magical Dreamtime! And as you can see, the artwork, in the aboriginal style, is not a coincidence either.”

After a prolonged period of raising their concerns, which Suntrip allegedly responded to by deleting comments**, banning profiles, and posting an apology post on the label’s Instagram, 18 individuals involved in the Australian electronic scene have come together to take further action. This also involves a Change.org petition.

**EDIT: Suntrip Records has shared that based on the hostility of some comments, their social media made the choice to delete comments & in some cases block accounts.

This involves a formal letter to the label urging them to take action, which has been supported and reviewed by numerous Indigenous Art Centres on APY lands, which at this point wish to remain anonymous, and clearly outlines the ramifications of the misuse, appropriations and misrepresentations of First Nations cultures.

Suntrip Records’ compilation is being sold for approximately $19 AUD (Digital) and $22 AUD (Compact Disc) respectively. Organisers of the petition & the open-letter have alleged that the release features only European artists with seemingly no connection to Indigenous cultures. Its artwork was done by German-born, Belgium-based artist Margot Schaefer*, who on her website admits to “using techniques from the Australian aboriginals, known as "dot-painting"”, and has developed “her own Western inspired use of this technique." Margot is the mother of one of Suntrip's label-heads, DJ Anoebis.

First Nations performer, presenter and educator Ganga Giri has in a statement condemned the release, saying:

“They may have good intentions and this may have slipped under the radar 20 years ago but not anymore [...] there does seem to be no effort to converse with First Nations at all for art or music. Both AB and myself are of First Nations Descent. We are Mob growing up in this time as Culture evolves. Respect is everything.”

In a statement, petition organisers shared that the release “represents a broader pattern of cultural exploitation that has been occurring for centuries. First Nations Cultures are not a commodity to be used without permission, and it is imperative that this issue is taken seriously.”

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EDIT: The below is a series of questions asked to Suntrip Records. We have decided to share the responses of a representative of the label, Joske Vranken, in full and unedited.

Q: What was your overall goal for the compilation?

SR: As with every compilation we release, our goal was to showcase and promote the best contemporary artists in the classic Goa trance style. Since Suntrip celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024, we also decided to once again feature artwork by Margot Schaefer, who has designed over ten album covers for us since our inception.

Have any First Nations people been involved in the production of this compilation, the use of its title, or its artwork? If so, who? Can you put us in touch with them?

SR: To answer the question directly: yes, a First Nations person was involved in the creation of the cover art and was aware that the name "Tjukurpa" was being used. The cover artwork was created by Margot Schaefer during a dot-painting workshop that lasted several days, led by an Aboriginal artist touring Belgium in the late 1990s—before the widespread use of the internet. My mother will search for the original flyer and any possible pictures when she has the time. At the moment, she is prioritizing caring for my father, who requires physical assistance. One of the artworks created in the workshop was titled "Tjukurpa." That is where name originated.

Q: How are you distributing the profit from this release?

SR: This question is somewhat ironic. Making a profit from a compilation release is virtually impossible. Anyone can check Bandcamp and see exactly how many copies have been sold (the squares under the cover image). At the moment we are talking of more or less 60 copies. When you factor in payments to artists, CD printing costs, mastering fees, and other expenses, it becomes clear that compilations are not profit-making ventures. In short, there is no profit to distribute. We make and share compilations because we love it and promote new artists.

Q: There are screenshots showing that Suntrip has been blocking people who raised concerns and deleting their comments. What is your response to this?

SR: Our Instagram social media manager (who is not me) informed us that the comments became increasingly hostile, aggressive, and, in some cases, threatening. Based on this, he decided to delete certain comments and block some accounts.

After realizing that some people took offense at this, I ensured that our most recent post on the subject remained open for discussion. On Facebook alone, the conversation has now exceeded 350 replies, with people attacking each other in unpleasant ways. I am not sure if this approach is necessarily better, but at least it allowed everyone to express their views. I invite everyone to read the discussions with an open mind, and maybe everyone can learn something, no matter which ‘side’ you are on.

Q: Your apology stated that you “in hindsight did not fully consider the word and art’s sacred meaning” and that many Australian First Nations voices have reached out. Since you admit to being misinformed, have you considered taking the compilation down?

SR: I have not personally been contacted by any First Nations voices. I have only received messages from (an Instagram account whose name we have omitted in their desire for anonymity) which claimed to speak on behalf of a group. The group was totally anonymous, and there is no information about any of them available.

That said, I stand by my statement that we (not just me, but multiple people) did not fully consider the sacred meaning of the word in combination with the artwork. If I were making this compilation today, I would not use the same title or cover art. We learn through experience, and this was a lesson for us. You can see from the very beginning of my conversation with (previously omitted Instagram account name) we are always willing to discuss, learn, and even educate our audience about how our decisions were insensitive.

From an ethical standpoint, we acknowledge that things should have been handled differently. However, what’s done is done. We have publicly apologized across all our platforms, using our reach to raise awareness about the subject, and we are committed to ensuring this does not happen again.

We did not remove the compilation for a simple reason: the artists involved had nothing to do with this controversy. A music compilation should be about the music. As someone who studied history and archaeology, I firmly believe that history teaches us a crucial lesson—you can either erase “problematic” art/statues/etc, or you can let it exist with a disclaimer explaining why it was problematic. The latter approach is far more effective in educating people, and that was our goal with our statement.

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