Blackface Balthazar - harmless or racist?
Hundreds of Spanish teenagers in Spain wear blackface for Three Kings parade
Annual procession accused of depicting racist caricatures of black people
Thousands of teenagers dressed up as royal pages and put on blackface as part of a Three Kings parade in Spain.The procession, which dates back to the 19th century and commemorates the arrival of the magi Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar at Jesus' birthplace, took place in the Spanish town of Alcoy, in Alicante province.
As part of the parade people paint their faces black with large red lips before marching through the streets and handing out sweets and presents to local children.
Parades held in cities and villages elsewhere in Spain on 5 January feature three men dressed up as kings. Balthazar is historically depicted as being black.
Images and footage from the Alcoy event, thought to be the country's longest-running, reignited a debate on social media.
“They say its racist in no way... did they even stop to ask any black person how they feel about it?” one person wrote.
“It's their culture, their celebration, who are you foreign person to come in and say what celebrations they may have? They aren't harming anyone, leave them alone,” another person commentated.
A third added: “Are you telling me they couldn’t find some black people in Spain to ask if this was offensive or not?”
Former Spain and Barcelona footballer Andrés Iniesta faced a backlash after he posted a photo of him with a group of people, including two in blackface, as part of the Three Kings Day celebration.
The 34-year-old midfielder has yet to respond to the social media criticism.
Critics have called for an end to the controversial blackface depictions for some time.
Nathalie Labeau, a collaborator with Afrofeminas, told El Pais in 2017 that the elaborate affair was “based in an imperialist and colonial history that celebrates white superiority”.
But Lorena Zamorano Gimeno, a councillor for heritage and tourism in Alcoy, told the paper there was no racist undertone to the town’s “heart-warming” celebration.
In Spain the Epiphany, which takes place on 6 January, caps the Christmas season. This is when children receive their presents from the Three Kings - not Santa Claus.
What are your views on the controversy? Is it a harmless tradition or should we consider changing the practice?
Comments
As you know, I don´t like these religious parades. This event commemorates a passage of the Bible when the magi Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar wore gold, incense and myrrh. They were wises as the Bible. In the beginning, it isn´t racist. If you commemorate an event that is not racist, it´s difficult that the commemoration was racist, I think.
When I went to the theatre, actors depicted their face and I thought that it wasn´t racist. I just see the image of thousands of teenagers from the Independent and I don´t seem racist, on the contrary, it seem a tribute to magi Balthazar.
This is the same as always. The North of Europe is good people and the South of Europe is rude people. Are not there other things in Spain that they can criticise? Yes, there are a lot of things. I am not going to stop to reply to nonsenses of the North. If they don´t like these parades, Catholic Church, religion and so on, like me, don´t they make a mistake of criticise what isn´t racist. Mind their own business.
I tell journalist, first, second, and third person who said that this is racist that they are wrong, because hundreds of Spanish teenagers don´t depict to black person, but magi Balthazar. It isn´t the same. Teenagers simulate magi Balthazar, no black person.
This is my view. In my opinion this is a harmless tradition.
See you.
Balthazar was the only one of the wise men who was black. Not one of those attending this parade in Alcante dressed up as Melchior or Gaspar. I wonder why not.
Nobody is suggesting that racism just exists in the South of Europe. Nowadays, through social media, it is easier to comment on what is happening in other countries. I don't have a problem with that.
As you know, I don´t like these religious parades. This event commemorates a passage of the Bible when the magi Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar brought gold, incense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. They were wise as the Bible. (Not sure what you mean here - remember that there is no plural adjectives)
To begin with, it isn´t racist. If you commemorate an event that is not racist, it´s unlikely that the commemoration is racist, I think.
When I went to the theatre, actors painted their face and I thought that it wasn´t racist.
I have just seen the image of thousands of teenagers in the Independent and they don´t seem racist, on the contrary, it appears to be a tribute to magi Balthazar.
It is always the same. The people in the North of Europe are good while those in the South of Europe are rude.
is there nothing else in Spain that they can criticise? Yes, there are a lot of things. I am not going to stop replying to nonsense from the North. If they don´t like these parades, the Catholic Church, religion and so on, like me, they shouldn't make the mistake of criticising what isn´t racist. They should mind their own business.
I would say to the journalist, the first, second, and third person who said that this is racist that they are wrong, because hundreds of Spanish teenagers aren't depicting a black person, but magi Balthazar. It isn´t the same. The teenagers dress up as magi Balthazar, not a black person.
This is my view. In my opinion this is a harmless tradition.
Remember there are no plural adjectives.