The saga of Hatari and their anti-Israel protest has taken a bit of a turn.
Two members of the group – Klemens Nikulásson Hannigan and Matthías Tryggvi Haraldsson (good luck trying to pronounce those names) have been interviewed by Iceland Music News, and do not come at all across like the cocky upstarts they did leading up to Eurovision and, of course, during the show, in which they infamously waved palestine scarves. In fact, they seem very subdued, and look rather tired (presumably not from the uncomfortable ride home).
But it is what they say that is even more shocking. Hannigan says point blank they were unsure about waving the scarves but did so because the company Svikamylla wanted them to and they felt they might lost their jobs otherwise. This is quite a remarkable admission.
Haraldsson then adds a message to the “Israeli nation” that they came “with hope, not hatred.” Again, this is a far cry from his attitude at Eurovision.
Regarding Svikamylla, this is what the website says:
Svikamylla ehf. is a transnational private holding company headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland. The company’s aim to bring an end to neoliberal capitalism, as well as managing real estate, loans, imports and exports. HATARI ©, the HATARI © logo, and all products of the HATARI © brand are exclusive intellectual property of Svikamylla ehf.
I am not entirely sure if this is parody or not (how can you be against capitalism and then claim to manage real estate, loans, imports and exports?!) But according to a December 2018 article on a site called the Reykjavik Grapevine:
To whom it may concern,
The award-winning band Hatari concludes its work at the end of this year. The board of directors of Svikamylla ehf. passed a resolution that the band would be terminated at the general meeting of the corporation earlier this month. It is clear that consumers that do not ensure a ticket for the last concert of the band, ENDALOK, at Húrra on December 28th, will never again see them in person, as doomsday is soon upon us. The recently released video for the track “SPILLINGARDANS” is their last attempt at dismantling the apparatus capitalism. The business did not meet the expectations of the board, and therefore the artists of HATARI will formally hand in letters of resignation on the 24th of December.
It is still difficult to know what to make of all of this, but if taken at face value, Hatari are not nihilists but corporate hacks and, in an ironic twist, perhaps the victims of some BDS bullying themselves.
I guess the choice is whether to consider them pathetic cowards or despicable haters.
Hat tip: Andy
