With Blackface and Monkey Suit, Chinese Gala on Africa Causes Uproar

NYTimes via msn ^ | 16 Feb 2018 | JANE PERLEZ

[blueplum]

BEIJING — A lavish four-hour Lunar New Year show televised to millions across China on Thursday night set off a flood of indignation with its caricatures featuring blackface and African men in animal suits. The gala, televised by China’s state broadcaster, featured a well-known Chinese actress as an African woman with exaggerated buttocks, a large chest and a face painted black. Carrying a platter of fruit on her head, she was accompanied by an African man dressed as a monkey. {snip}The skit was set in Kenya, home to a new Chinese-built railroad between the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal town of Mombasa that is part of China’s Belt and Road development initiative. Dancers dressed as zebras, giraffes, lions and antelopes opened the sequence before the actress Lou Naiming appeared with her outsize rear and

[Vesparado]

Further, if you want to be shocked about racial attitude, see what famous Arab historian Ibn Kaldun has to say about black African’s in his “Muqaddimah”. But, then, Kaldun came from a culture deeply involved in the black slave trade; the Chinese were not.

[GOPJ]

it is pretty interesting that Kenyans used the Chinese to build the Nairobi railroad instead of, say, oh I don't know, American contractors?

Maybe they offered a lower price... or paid bribes.... Any idea why our guys didn't get the job?

[taxesareforever]

If the skit was set in Kenya, was Obama the prime spectator?

[Professional]

Tears of rage!!!

[Professional]

Burn the books for the children’s sake!

[bkopto]

The chinese have yet to find out that Africa always wins.

[Rob the Ugly Dude]

Han Chinese are among the most racist people in the world, so not surprising.

[Rebelbase]

I did’t realize Sir Mixalot was referencing natives from the British Empire.

[blueplum]

well, if he was, then he and the Congressional Black Caucus have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do as to why we didn’t get that rail contract...

[doorgunner69]

Looks like a funny skit...Butthurt for someone?

[50sDad]

Hold on...I have been lectured that it is my job to rate all cultures as equal, and that I have no business passing judgement on what others think. Isn’t this the Liberal mantra?

[doorgunner69]

Any idea why our guys didn't get the job?

Or local contractors. We keep getting told how they are the equal of anyone, just the man keeping them down, or something..........

[Wilhelm Tell]

I hate Chinese Nazis...

[JimRed]

I thought it was the Year of the Dog. Whassup wit’ da monkey?

[Robwin]

Anyone know when this Gala will be broadcast on PBS?

[Teacher317]

set off a flood of indignation with its caricatures featuring blackface and African men in animal suits.

THE Chinese Epic story, The Journey West (written in the 16th Century), features Wu Kong, the Monkey King, as its heroic figure. You literally cannot go a day without seeing a yellow monkey on at least one channel on Chinese TV as you channel surf while bored in your hotel room at 3am. Dressing up to look like a person (of any color) on stage is not a hateful act in China, and a monkey suit is not an insult in any way in China.

(Note: Many (most?) Chinese are quite racist against black people, especially black Africans... but blackface and monkey suits are not how they express it.)

[Teacher317]

Isn’t it cultural appropriation and/or cultural imperialism to tell other cultures what is inappropriate? Imposing (psychotic) Liberal standards on behaviors in other nations and cultures is beyond idiotic.

[Electric Graffiti]

tit for tat

[blueplum]

Thanks, you two. I haven’t heard the story but Vesparado mentioned I might find a bit on youtube.

And here’s the animated crib notes! (each about 10min)
Legends Summarized: The Monkey King (Journey To The West Part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61nuXrvqNgI

Legends Summarized: The Journey To The West (Part II)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ai5umy9yH0

Legends Summarized: The Journey to the West (Part III)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7N-IRcUfB4

part IV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PTOArO8p9o

part V:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlB_vWGdLlA

[drop 50 and fire for effect]

I think that American companies cannot legally provide any money back to those making the decisions, in the countries.

I do not believe China has any such compunctions.

Not only do they not have any such compunctions, it is unspoken Chinese policy. In spite of a quasi-capitalist veneer, the Chinese Communist Party, to include the People's Liberation Army, is a significant investor in Africa.

They are after African natural resources and will willingly do anything short of starting a war to obtain them. While there have been some concerns about the long term effect of this, most Chinese decision makers could give a rat's rear end about Africa and Africans. They want resources, and they want them now.