Two Langley shopkeepers say they will continue to sell Golliwog dolls because they are 91Ƶnot aracist thing at all.91Ƶ
Greg Bowles and Linda Hazelton, owners of the Black Pudding Imports Ltd. store, were respondingto a complaint by Surrey resident Taylor Walker, who said the imported British-made black dolls,which have eyes rimmed in white, big red lips and frizzy hair, were offensive.
Walker said she and her boyfriend were startled to see the dolls were for sale during a visit onSunday to the store on 203rd Street near 64th Avenue, which sells imported products from Britain,Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
91ƵWe were pleased with the British and Irish products they had until we got to the checkout andnoticed they were selling Golliwog memorabilia,91Ƶ Walker said.
Walker told the Black Press Media that she didn91Ƶt say anything at the time because shewanted to research the dolls before contacting the store.
91ƵI just wanted to let them know that it was a very offensive item91Ƶ Walker said.
91ƵMy dad is black. He91Ƶs from the [U.S] south.91Ƶ
Walker said the dolls may have been fine at one time, but times have changed.
91ƵFor me, you look back and see things from years ago that were acceptable, now, it91Ƶs not okay,91Ƶ
Walker said.
91ƵI think the number of those offended is bigger than those who have affection for them.91Ƶ
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Bowles said complaints about the dolls have been rare.
91ƵIn 20 years, we have only had four or five people say something,91Ƶ he said.
91ƵThere are dozens and dozens of [British import] stores in Canada91Ƶ that sell the dolls, Bowlesadded.
Linda Hazelton said she was 91Ƶshocked91Ƶ by the suggestion the dolls were racist.
91ƵIt91Ƶs a kid91Ƶs tale. It91Ƶs not a racist thing at all,91Ƶ she said.
91ƵShe91Ƶs [Walker] being oversensitive.91Ƶ
Hazelton said the store caters to 91ƵEnglish, Scottish, Irish and Welsh91Ƶ customers who grew up withthe children91Ƶs books.
91ƵIt91Ƶs a childhood memory for those people,91Ƶ she said.
91ƵWe sell tons of them.91Ƶ
91ƵThey sell them in England. They91Ƶre not banned anywhere.91Ƶ
Golliwog dolls are based on a character in an 1895 children91Ƶs book called The Adventures of TwoDutch Dolls and a Golliwogg by British author Florence Kate Upton, who described the character as91Ƶthe blackest gnome.91Ƶ
It was a popular children91Ƶs toy in many European countries, but in recent years has become amagnet for controversy, with critics saying the doll was based on blackface worn by whiteperformers who crudely stereotyped black people.
According to a number of historical sources, the doll inspired the racial slur 91Ƶwog.91Ƶ
Because of that, Hazelton and Bowles said, the toys are now called 91ƵGolly91Ƶ dolls.
In recent years, the controversy has led British jam makers Robertson91Ƶs to drop its trademarkGolliwog mascot and in Australia, Arnott91Ƶs Golliwog chocolate biscuit was renamed the Scalliwag.
However, when a 2018 poll asked 1,660 Britons whether it was 91Ƶracist to sell or display a golliwogdoll,91Ƶ it found most didn91Ƶt see a problem, with 63 per cent responding 91Ƶno,91Ƶ 20 per cent 91Ƶyes,91Ƶ and17 per cent 91Ƶ not sure.91Ƶ
The Ferris State University 91Ƶ91Ƶ website said Golliwog dollswere the 91Ƶleast known of the major anti-black caricatures in the United States.
Professor Dr. David Pilgrim said the character 91Ƶoften reflected negative beliefs about blacks[portraying them as] thieves, miscreants, incompetents.91Ƶ