Olan
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Post by Olan on Nov 30, 2019 16:35:13 GMT
www.cnn.com/2019/11/30/europe/belgium-blackface-colonial-history-intl/index.htmlWhen the festive figure Sinterklaas rolled through the Dutch town of Apeldoorn in November, he was greeted by TV crews, cheering crowds, and an inevitable round of furious protests. The anger was not directed at Sinterklaas himself, whose annual "arrival" festival marks the start of the Christmas season in the country. It was aimed at his sidekick, Black Pete -- whose appearance in blackface, a curly afro wig and red lipstick divides the country on an annual basis. But while controversies over the continued existence of Black Pete in the Netherlands have become as well-established a tradition as the character itself, one if its bordering nations is yet to hold a reckoning over its own relationship with blackface. Belgium has a blackface problem. The country shares in the Black Pete tradition, albeit less enthusiastically than the Netherlands. But around Belgium, few seasons pass without folkloric festivals revolving around characters in the racist garb -- and while its use has become polarizing around the world, Belgium has a casual approach to the tradition that is jarring to many outsiders.
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ashley
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Post by ashley on Nov 30, 2019 20:27:38 GMT
It’s depressing and disappointing when racism is promoted as tradition.
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Post by birdgate on Nov 30, 2019 20:30:35 GMT
That always tripped me out. I have a local Dutch market that sells Sinterklaas items around Christmas like tea towels and bags. I always stand there looking confused. I'm always there for the Christmas speculaaspop. I hope there's no trippy story behind them too since I've been eating them as a kid. Same with golly's. Does Harrod's still sell them?
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Post by mrssmith on Nov 30, 2019 20:45:50 GMT
Yup. Saw it all over when I lived in Belgium. But, it's also the country that committed genocide in Congo, so I don't really expect them to change anytime soon. (Although apparently all the riches went to the king alone). TW: disturbing photos |
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craftykitten
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Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Nov 30, 2019 20:48:35 GMT
That always tripped me out. I have a local Dutch market that sells Sinterklaas items around Christmas like tea towels and bags. I always stand there looking confused. I'm always there for the Christmas speculaaspop. I hope there's no trippy story behind them too since I've been eating them as a kid. Same with golly's. Does Harrod's still sell them? As in golliwogs? I'm pretty sure we all know by now that they are wrong. |
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Post by birdgate on Nov 30, 2019 21:03:09 GMT
That always tripped me out. I have a local Dutch market that sells Sinterklaas items around Christmas like tea towels and bags. I always stand there looking confused. I'm always there for the Christmas speculaaspop. I hope there's no trippy story behind them too since I've been eating them as a kid. Same with golly's. Does Harrod's still sell them? As in golliwogs? I'm pretty sure we all know by now that they are wrong. Dodi Al Fayed must have put an end to them. |
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Post by rainangel on Nov 30, 2019 21:08:19 GMT
That always tripped me out. I have a local Dutch market that sells Sinterklaas items around Christmas like tea towels and bags. I always stand there looking confused. I'm always there for the Christmas speculaaspop. I hope there's no trippy story behind them too since I've been eating them as a kid. Same with golly's. Does Harrod's still sell them? As in golliwogs? I'm pretty sure we all know by now that they are wrong. My Aussie ex-MIL collects them. They were still on sale in shops when I was in Australia two years ago. Ex-MIL firmly believes they are so steeped in Australian culture, and therefore a-okay to have on display in her livingroom. Not a fight I was going to have with her as a guest in her house, but the willful ignorance is astonishing! |
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craftykitten
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Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Nov 30, 2019 21:15:24 GMT
As in golliwogs? I'm pretty sure we all know by now that they are wrong. My Aussie ex-MIL collects them. They were still on sale in shops when I was in Australia two years ago. Ex-MIL firmly believes they are so steeped in Australian culture, and therefore a-okay to have on display in her livingroom. Not a fight I was going to have with her as a guest in her house, but the willful ignorance is astonishing! Sadly, as I have just discovered in my googling, it seems your ex MIL is not alone. Mind boggling. It's not just a "trippy story", the racism and colonialism is horrific. |
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Post by flanz on Nov 30, 2019 21:40:36 GMT
Thanks for educating me on this, Olan. It's all kinds of wrong. |
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muggins
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Post by muggins on Nov 30, 2019 22:16:20 GMT
I think there’s a lot of cognitive dissonance surrounding this issue. I met a young Dutch with man when I was volunteering at a refugee camp in Greece. She seemed to be very anti-racism actively promoting inclusion and acceptance. I was surprised to see a photo on her aiG a few months later putting black face on a Black Pete character before the festival. When she was called out on it, she didn’t connect the two. The ‘fun’ Dutch tradition and the issue of racism, refugees, and immigration are two totally different things in her mind.
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muggins
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Post by muggins on Nov 30, 2019 22:23:34 GMT
My Aussie ex-MIL collects them. They were still on sale in shops when I was in Australia two years ago. Ex-MIL firmly believes they are so steeped in Australian culture, and therefore a-okay to have on display in her livingroom. Not a fight I was going to have with her as a guest in her house, but the willful ignorance is astonishing! Sadly, as I have just discovered in my googling, it seems your ex MIL is not alone. Mind boggling. It's not just a "trippy story", the racism and colonialism is horrific. I’ve seen a lot of golliwogs for sale at antique shops and fairs in the UK. White people’s nostalgia is often prioritised over the feelings of black people. My daughter’s Zimbabwean friend complained about the sale of golliwogs in a local antique emporium and she was dismissed by a middle aged white guy who told her they weren’t racist. The same is true of people who buy and sell black ‘Americans’. I’ve been called all kinds of names by sellers when I’ve pointed out why these kind of items are racist. White people still profiting from racism and slavery makes me sick. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Dec 1, 2019 1:38:23 GMT
Thank you for sharing this info, Olan.
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Post by birdgate on Dec 1, 2019 9:30:23 GMT
My Aussie ex-MIL collects them. They were still on sale in shops when I was in Australia two years ago. Ex-MIL firmly believes they are so steeped in Australian culture, and therefore a-okay to have on display in her livingroom. Not a fight I was going to have with her as a guest in her house, but the willful ignorance is astonishing! Sadly, as I have just discovered in my googling, it seems your ex MIL is not alone. Mind boggling. It's not just a "trippy story", the racism and colonialism is horrific. Obviously racism and colonialism isn't a "trippy story." That should be without saying. It's the Twilight Zone shopping experience at the market that's trippy and made me wonder about the origins behind the Christmas cookies among other things. You don't need to google anything to see it every day that black face is still branded. It wasn't long ago they were selling gollies at Harrod's. There's a sugar company that uses black face on its packaging. Interestingly it was an American girl who created the character. She probably saw a minstrel show. I remember my professor in AA studies said many black sitcoms on tv were "modern day minstrel shows." |
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craftykitten
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Jun 26, 2014 7:39:32 GMT
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Post by craftykitten on Dec 1, 2019 12:59:50 GMT
Sadly, as I have just discovered in my googling, it seems your ex MIL is not alone. Mind boggling. It's not just a "trippy story", the racism and colonialism is horrific. Obviously racism and colonialism isn't a "trippy story." That should be without saying. It's the Twilight Zone shopping experience at the market that's trippy and made me wonder about the origins behind the Christmas cookies among other things. You don't need to google anything to see it every day that black face is still branded. It wasn't long ago they were selling gollies at Harrod's. There's a sugar company that uses black face on its packaging. Interestingly it was an American girl who created the character. She probably saw a minstrel show. I remember my professor in AA studies said many black sitcoms on tv were "modern day minstrel shows." Well, I googled because I had no idea that golliwogs were still considered acceptable, anywhere. I remember seeing them as a child but not for at least 20 years, so it was surprising to me that you might think they were still sold in Harrods. They used to be used on Robertsons Jams, but that stopped in 2001, apparently. |
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MsKnit
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Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
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Post by MsKnit on Dec 1, 2019 14:01:28 GMT
Good word! How is this a thing?
Had to look up Golliwog. Again, how do toy companies justify producing these?
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Dec 3, 2019 23:12:16 GMT
Thanks for educating me on this, Olan. It's all kinds of wrong. No problem. |
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