Blackleaf
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MP calls for Cornwall's "Darkie Day" to be stopped
Britain's first black woman MP has reopened the long running row over Cornwall's controversial "Darkie Day".
Diane Abbott wants ministers to stop the annual festival in Padstow which dates back more than 100 years.
She has tabled a Commons motion calling on the government to discourage it from ever happening again.
Locals have always insisted the event was never intended to be racist, but it is now known as "Mummers Day" rather than "Darkie Day" after complaints.
Organisers have also amended some songs and costumes to try to avoid offence during the festival which runs between Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Some still black their faces and that is said to be part of folk minstrel tradition.
She said: "A lot of people don't know it goes on, but when they find out about it they are quite shocked.
"A number of MPs have signed my motion because they think it is not appropriate in modern Britain."
But local MP Dan Rogerson hit back.
"It is not something local people have objected to," he said.
"The tradition of blacking up is a very old one. It is not something that comes from Padstow, but around the rest of England and I don't think we should be picking on Padstow."
In 1998 Bernie Grant, the late black Labour MP for Tottenham, condemned the tradition as "offensive to black people all over the place".
During the festivities, revellers raise money for charity by dancing around the town and singing songs traditionally associated with the plantations.
Its origin are unknown, but one theory, now widely discounted, is that it dates from an occasion when locals witnessed black people dancing and singing aboard a slave ship forced to seek shelter in the harbour.
news.bbc.co.uk
Cornwall gave us Darkie Day and Morris Dancing.
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Morph
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This is like the news story about bibles in Stirling universities student dorms causing offence to other religions. But when interviewed the people who followed other religions couldn't care less. Should we not only ban things that actually offend the black or asian community.
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Rinty
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g | Quote: | | This is like the news story about bibles in Stirling universities student dorms causing offence to other religions. But when interviewed the people who followed other religions couldn't care less. Should we not only ban things that actually offend the black or asian community. |
Maybe, but from your post what we have is one white MP saying that black people are not offended and one black MP saying that she is. We also have a late former MP also condemning it. By your argument the evidence so far would be for a ban.
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Aventinian
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| Morph wrote: | | This is like the news story about bibles in Stirling universities student dorms causing offence to other religions. But when interviewed the people who followed other religions couldn't care less. Should we not only ban things that actually offend the black or asian community. |
Since when did anyone, black or Asian, have a right not to be offended?
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Morph
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sorry i dont get what your sayin
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Morph
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Im sorry rinty i read the arguement wrong. I agree that events which offend black and asians should be stopped. However i do believe that political correctness does go to far at times
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Abieuan
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Times change, i remember sitting with my parents ( a non-racist family ) innocently watching the Black and White Minstrel show.
The Cornish event has changed
| Quote: | Locals have always insisted the event was never intended to be racist, but it is now known as "Mummers Day" rather than "Darkie Day" after complaints.
Organisers have also amended some songs and costumes to try to avoid offence |
Most do not now blacken their faces, a few do because it is their tradition, not because they wish to give offence.
I would not take offence if black people painted their faces white and danced about raising money for charity.
Diane Abbott is probably more racist than the Padstow dancers and is just stirring up trouble.
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Aventinian
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| Morph wrote: | | sorry i dont get what your sayin |
I'm saying that I believe that no one should have the right to use physical force (which is what a 'ban' ultimately suggests) to prevent someone being offended or getting emotional. It's a slippery slope...
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Morph
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But that is just silly, So BNP marches should be allowed because to ban them would be wrong by your last statement
?
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parkhead_rfb
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i totally disagree with the bnp but i wouldnt ban them.
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Aventinian
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| Morph wrote: | But that is just silly, So BNP marches should be allowed because to ban them would be wrong by your last statement
? |
Of course. I'm sure you've all heard that Voltaire quote 'I don't agree with what you're saying, but I'd defend to the death your right to say it.' That is liberty.
To be honest, the SNP's existence offends me (nae offence to any SNP members, mind...); if I was of a certain strand of Christianity, I'd be offended by the existence of sodomy in this world; if I was a Nazi, I'd be offended by the existence of Jews in my country. That is not sufficient warrant to ban it and still call oneself a believer in freedom.
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SLG
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| Aventinian wrote: | | Of course. I'm sure you've all heard that Voltaire quote 'I don't agree with what you're saying, but I'd defend to the death your right to say it.' That is liberty. |
Is that the same Voltaire that said "We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation"? Smart guy that one 
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Aventinian
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Indeed. Unfortunately it is a bit different these days...
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SLG
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What's a bit different? Are you saying we shouldn't defend to the death the right of people to say things we disagree with?
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Lothian Sky
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The Padstow festival has it's origins in Cornwall's deep ancient celtic past, it's much much older than "100 years". Anyone who has read "The Sea Kingdoms" by Alistair Moffat, will back me up on this. It's all too easy to be offended if you want to be. People should get an education before jumping to conclusions.
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Abieuan
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Hi Lothian Sky, there may be some confusion here.
Are you thinking of the ancient Padstow May Day celebrations ?
The Mummers Days festival is in mid-winter.
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Aventinian
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| SLG wrote: | | What's a bit different? Are you saying we shouldn't defend to the death the right of people to say things we disagree with? |
I was referring to Scotland. It's not quite as Voltaire saw it these days.
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