Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.11.2007, Blaðsíða 8

08 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 17 2007 | Opinion
“We never [were] niggers, that is a word used to
describe our own wretchedness. And we perpetu-
ate it now.”(1) Who said that? Surprisingly to some,
the little nigger in question was none other than
Richard Pryor. If he were alive today he might have
something to say about the recent caricatures and
distasteful lyrics to the “nursery rhyme” Ten Little
Niggers, which has recently been republished to
be read by a new generation of Icelanders. Certain
Icelanders are already complaining about those
voicing displeasure, in a rather morose manner,
whispering, “PC cops.” Because not wanting to
scar children’s self image and self worth is appar-
ently akin to being politically correct, whereas
the caricatures of Muggur, famous Icelandic art-
ist, seem to be comparable to Velazquez, and are
now being hailed as national treasures.
Just about everybody has an opinion on this
discussion, especially those who have no knowl-
edge of the matter or circumvent the main point,
including Iceland’s favourite pseudo intellectual,
Egill Helgason, who quotes the Index Liborum
Prohibitorum of Catholic religion and tries, with
a sloppy sleight of hand, to connect the dots. I
despise censorship and deem it inappropriate –
nonetheless there was no reason for publishing
this book again. It is easily attainable and its whole
discourse is based on racism. However, with that
said, I would like to point out that both the Icelan-
dic and English versions are a treasure trove for
students of critical theory or literature. The Icelan-
dic version reinforces stereotypes whilst the latter
is just absurd and cruel, a grotesque vaudeville
feast.
For some the pictures are considered cute,
despite the fact they are tainted by perverted
(anti) “noble savage” imagery that recalls Ki-
pling’s famous poem, The White Man’s Burden.
For example, journalist Kolbrún Bergþórsdóttir
(of the newspaper 24 Stundir) says, “I am sur-
prised at people saying the book is racist ... some
[negroes] have tragic mishaps, but like in chil-
dren’s books: all goes well. That only leaves the
word “negro”, which isn’t a fun word – but it isn’t
negative in the book.” So, by that logic if the book
were “Ten Little Kikes” and one survives the gas
chamber then all is well? To quote Shirley Q, if you
don’t see anything deplorable about these images
and words, “you sure is ignunt”. This leads into
the discussion regarding the book on what “we”,
i.e. Icelanders of less melanin, should call people
of darker complexion. Obviously, that is one of
the problems. Strangely enough, there is always
this strange, overwhelming urge to define other
people as the Other. Of course I can help these
people with a few suggestions: Nigger, Black,
Coon, African American, Tar Baby, Spearchucker
or even Negro. In Icelandic, magically enough,
Negro does not have any negative connotations
because you can trace it back to Latin as niger.
At the same time there is a tendency to point out
that an individual is black. For some in Iceland it
is a simple matter of taking the word “negri” back
and making it positive or, to paraphrase Randal
of Clerks fame, “Since when did “porch monkey”
suddenly become a racial slur?”
Nevertheless, some find it astonishing that
people don’t like being called negroes or niggers.
Just as Asians don’t like being called gooks; or Ital-
ians being called wops; or women being called
skanks. I do not like being called a negro, being
pointed out as different, and I doubt a preschooler
would like it. Here in Iceland, I’ve heard almost
every tasteless joke or derogative comment you
can think of, and said directly to me. Everything
from “use Ajax”, “nigger”, “half-breed”, to hearing
a very close relative agree with an old man on a
television show called “Með Eiríki,” around 1995,
that “all negroes are lazy”. So, no, I am not hyper-
sensitive to the word negro, I just happen to know
more about the subject and debate than the typi-
cal over-worked and not as well-read Icelander.
Despite all of this, there is another issue
concerning this debate: Is racial caricature ac-
ceptable? I tend to agree with Shirley Q when she
states “I am a firm believer that comedy is a way
to heal past injustices, prejudice and hate.”(2) She
fights racism by invoking blackface, which in itself
is a genre predating the silly afros you see people
wear pretending to lay claim to this unworldly oth-
erness. The problem, I feel, is that Icelanders have
always been isolated and only recently come into
contact with other cultures and people, so prob-
lematic debates about art like Birth of A Nation
(which is a work of art, something Muggur’s illus-
trations aren’t), Aunt Jemina and racist cartoons
like Sambo have not presented themselves. In
the States Aunt Jemina lost her mammie appear-
ance and ceased be a female version of “ “Uncle
Tom” […] a black woman who is perceived as
obsequiously servile or acting in, or protective of,
the interests of whites.”(3) Even the Golliwog was
phased out in Britain. Because racism is a very
slippery thing; while some might admit their bla-
tant racism, others feign ignorance or just say, “I
liked singing ten little niggers as a child.” Aspects
of racism permeate culture without some people
even realizing it; how many people know “that it
can be argued that aspects of [black] stereotypes
were transferred to funny animals such as Krazy
Kat, Felix, and later Mickey Mouse?”(4)
Still, one has to ask oneself: is a nursery
rhyme about half-naked boys either being evis-
cerated or multiplying like rabbits a valuable part
of Icelandic culture because it is one of the first
translated children’s books with illustrations – or
because relatives have a stake in the matter, per-
haps royalties? Whatever the case may be, I tend
to agree with Pryor: “I don’t like them hip white
people coming up to me telling me nigger jokes,
or calling me nigger, I don’t even like it when
black people say it to me.”
1. http://youtube.com/watch?v=AltWj4iAmno
2. Strausbaugh 9:2006 Black Like You. Penguin Group
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunt_Jemima
4. Strömberg 58:2003 Black Images In The Comics: A Visual History.
Fantagraphics Books
When you dig up the past, you are bound to see
some of the dirt. Unfortunately, this dirt is in the
form of Icelandic artist Guðmundur Thorsteins-
son’s depiction of black people illustrated in the
children’s book, ‘Tíu Litlir Negrastrákar,’ first pub-
lished in 1922.
Skrudda Ehf., an Icelandic publishing com-
pany recently republished ‘Tíu Litlir Negrastrákar’
(translated as ‘Ten Little Black Boys’ or ‘Ten Little
Negro Boys’ depending on whom you’re asking)
to an overabundance of mixed reviews. The story
is inspired by a song entitled “Ten Little Indians,”
written by American musician Septimus Winner
in 1868. The frenzy and controversy surrounding
this republication has raised several issues regard-
ing freedom of speech, race relations and cultural
sensitivity. The beauty of controversy is that it
prompts discussion and provides an opportunity
for understanding and discernment. However, we
have yet to hear from the voice of those actually
being depicted in the book… that is until now.
As an African American living in Iceland,
how do you feel about the republication of
Tíu Litlir Negrastrákar?
This “children’s” book is yet another confirmation
of how some people in Iceland refuse to believe
that the world is changing and that the population
is evolving. It’s extremely disappointing that a
publishing company would go to so much trouble
to revive an “old classic” and yet not thoroughly
think about the consequences of their actions.
Did they think about how Iceland would look to
the rest of the world? When a book like this goes
public, it doesn’t sit in a box. The rest of the world
is going to see this mistake and immediately form
a lasting impression.
What exactly offends you about the book?
From the early 1800s to about 1910 white Ameri-
cans, commonly known as minstrels, used burnt
cork to mask their faces in black paint, coat their
mouths with bright red lipstick and dance around
on stage impersonating what they perceived as,
“the happy nigger.” It was their way of represent-
ing what all black people were and should be like
–lazy, shiftless and humorous baboons. When
viewing Thorsteinsson’s illustrations for this book,
those same racist images came back ever so
hauntingly. It doesn’t compare to hanging a noose
on my door as the racist incidents currently hap-
pening in New York City, but it hits another nerve
of bigotry that runs a little deeper. The images so
innocently framed in this book were specifically
designed to dehumanize and mock black people
for over a hundred years. Why would anyone
want to recapture the ignorant and grotesque im-
ages that have oppressed an entire race of people
for so long for the sake of celebration? Did Thor-
steinsson produce any other material that did not
include such racist ideologies? Why this specific
story? Was republishing this particular story so
important that it surpassed all judgment of racial
awareness?
What would you say to parents who want to
purchase this book for their children?
If you plan on adding this book to your children’s
library, I’m assuming that your children know of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington Carver,
Rosa Parks, Miles Davis, Frederick Douglas, W.E.B.
Dubois, Harriet Tubman, Barbara Jordan and other
prominent black individuals. I’m assuming that
this isn’t the only depiction of black people that
your children will come to know and understand
and that they have a myriad of other books to
choose from that represent black individuals in a
positive and uplifting light. If you plan to read and
share this “old classic” with the kids at Christmas
time, I’m certain you’ve explained and taught them
about the racist history of the deplorable depic-
tions of those ten little black boys in the story.
Do you honestly think that this book will do
more harm than good to children?
First impressions make a monumental impact in
our minds as individuals. If a child sees these
particular images at a cognitive age, then yes,
this book is doing more harm than good. As a
child living in Iceland there are a limited number
of ways for children to learn about black people,
so shouldn’t we make the few images that they do
see accurate and constructive? Why take them
back to a time when black men and women were
disrespected and ignorantly stereotyped as buf-
foons and demeaning punch lines?
So what’s the solution?
In my opinion all the books need to be recalled.
According to Einar Skúlason, Director of the In-
tercultural Centre, after a public meeting about
speaking freely, with a panel of professionals in-
cluding a specialist in Icelandic language, a Doctor
of Anthropology and the President of the Society
of Publishing, it was unanimously agreed that this
book was completely inappropriate to republish
at this point in time. Although this book is a clas-
sic and traditional story, the images portrayed in
the book promote the wrong images for children.
Skúlason also added, “if a book was written 80
years ago about ten little [Icelandic] housewives,
each dying from ironing or cooking, there would
be women marching in the street right now.”
I hear you loud and clear.
One Little Nigger
Ten Little Who?
Marvin Lee Dupree is born and raised in Iceland. He
studies literature and classics at the University of
Iceland.
Gabriele Guðbjartsson moved to Iceland from New
York,USA. She married a lucky local, and together
they have one child.