There's also the opinion that says this idiotic practise it's just revivalist posturing and has nothing to do with history, tradition or folklore in the slightest. It begins in the 1960s; as such it's a modern contrivance, one that proliferates in more recent years.

So - if it's not racist (which now appears to be The Received Opinion) then what the hell is it? Because it sure as hell ain't folklore, because that died out long, long, ago...