SINGAPORE: A succession of blackface controversies have cropped up in Singapore in recent months.
The latest involved a group who attended a company dinner and dance event in November wearing afro wigs and blackface make-up.
In September, a car dealer posted a video featuring a Chinese salesman in dark face paint and edited to include images of African people over a laugh track.
In July, a student from Raffles Institution, a leading school, dressed as a dark-skinned delivery rider.
Each episode sparked strong reactions online, with some asking "what's wrong with this?" while others questioned why this keeps happening in Singapore: The public airing of blackface incidents here dates back to at least more than a decade.
There are some disagreements about its origins, with some suggesting the practice first came from Europe while others say it's unique to minstrel shows in America during the early 19th century, said Associate Professor Selvaraj Velayutham from the Macquarie University’s school of social sciences.
Regardless, blackface is a product of western colonialism and it was used to caricature black people in entertainment and advertisements, the sociologist added.
In the 1830s, white actors in the United States would blacken their faces with burnt cork or shoe polish while they performed comedy routines about - and ridiculing - black people.
These performances perpetuated a range of exaggerated negative stereotypes about African Americans, such as being lazy, ignorant and criminal.
And they were for the entertainment of a predominantly white audience.
Researchers say that at its heart, blackface is about unequal power relations and the assertion of control by one group that sees itself as superior over the other.
Blackface is thus considered derogatory in many parts of the world because it invokes a racist and painful history.
While the history of blackface may seem distant from this part of the world, observers CNA spoke to said portrayals of blackface or brownface are similarly no laughing matter when performed in Singapore.
Dr Terri-Anne Teo, a lecturer in the politics of race and ethnicity at the Newcastle University, wrote in a 2022 research paper that brownface and other forms of racial "impersonation" can be problematic when ethnic minorities are “misrecognised” in the form of racial stereotypes and other types of discrimination.
The parallel between blackface in the US and black/brownface in Singapore lies in how "inferiorising stereotypes continue to be produced as natural and taken for granted” wrote Dr Teo, who's also a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies think-tank.
Assoc Prof Velayutham said that with Singapore being a multi-ethnic society, numerous such stereotypes have "surfaced over generations and in some cases manifest as racial slur, bias, prejudice, discrimination, microaggression etc”.
“These are offensive and hurtful. We need to acknowledge this.
“The fact of the matter is wearing black or brownface is as offensive to a person of colour as is making slanted eye gestures at a Chinese person," he said.
"There is nothing funny about it.”
The persistence of controversies over the years suggests that segments of Singapore's population lack the knowledge and understanding of both the history of blackface as well as racism in general, observers said.
For instance, in the wake of the November blackface incident at the dinner and dance by local real estate group UOL, online commenters defended the act as an unintentional joke or "just people having some fun".
“Far too often, we label racist behaviour and actions as ‘casual racism’ and excuse them as unintentional, committed out of ignorance or the perpetrator doesn’t know any better," Assoc Prof Velayutham. "As a result, it is easily dismissed and people are told to move on.”
Dismissing racist acts as jokes also suggests some form of what political sociologist Saleena Saleem described as “colour-blind racism” in Singapore.
“Individuals may claim to be ‘colour-blind’ or assert that they ‘don’t see race’, yet their thinking can still be influenced by pervasive racist stereotypes in society," she said.
“As a result, when they act in racially prejudicial or discriminatory ways, they may fail to recognise or acknowledge it."
This in turn “creates an enabling environment where individuals from the majority ethnic group can downplay racist acts", added Dr Saleena, who researches issues related to race, religion and identity.
Racial and religious harmony is paramount to Singapore, which experienced racial riots in the past as it transitioned from colonial rule to independence.
And laws are in place to maintain that delicate balance, such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. Counterpart legislation for racial harmony is also in the works.
Those who promote feelings of ill will and hostility between different groups on grounds of religion or race can be fined, imprisoned for up to three years or both.
Assoc Prof Velayutham said while there’s no need for stronger legal penalties, all parties involved in blackface incidents – whether schools, companies or individuals – must be held accountable.
“Singaporeans who wear black/brown face are committing a racist act and must be called out,” he said, suggesting mandatory "cultural awareness training" for offenders.
Education institutions and companies should also go beyond public apologies, which can be a “mere public relations exercise”, he added.
In UOL's apology, it did not reveal if the attendees in blackface were employees or if any action had been taken against them.
The Raffles Institution student who dressed as a delivery rider, on the other hand, was counselled and disciplined.
Assoc Prof Velayutham also stressed that being anti-racist was not about being adversarial, but about listening to victims, recognising the hurt they've experienced and being mindful going forward.
“We need to be more proactive about combating racism," he said, further suggesting public campaigns and education in workplaces, community centres and schools.
Dr Saleena, who was most recently visiting assistant professor of sociology at Boston University, urged for more “honest and constructive” conversations about race in Singapore, citing CNA’s documentary “Regardless of Race” as an example.
For example, there could be more regular dialogue sessions where Singaporeans from diverse backgrounds come together to talk about race and racism in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
She also called for more to be done in schools.
“By teaching students about the colonial roots of race, they can better understand why these racist stereotypes exist and how they continue to impact social attitudes in Singapore and around the world,” said Dr Saleena.
Over time, this could also equip Singaporeans in general “with the necessary knowledge needed to counter polarisation coming from outside our borders”, she added.
Want an issue or topic explained? Email us at digitalnews [at] mediacorp.com.sg. Your question might become a story on our site.
Continue reading...
The latest involved a group who attended a company dinner and dance event in November wearing afro wigs and blackface make-up.
In September, a car dealer posted a video featuring a Chinese salesman in dark face paint and edited to include images of African people over a laugh track.
In July, a student from Raffles Institution, a leading school, dressed as a dark-skinned delivery rider.
Each episode sparked strong reactions online, with some asking "what's wrong with this?" while others questioned why this keeps happening in Singapore: The public airing of blackface incidents here dates back to at least more than a decade.
What is blackface and why is it offensive?
There are some disagreements about its origins, with some suggesting the practice first came from Europe while others say it's unique to minstrel shows in America during the early 19th century, said Associate Professor Selvaraj Velayutham from the Macquarie University’s school of social sciences.
Regardless, blackface is a product of western colonialism and it was used to caricature black people in entertainment and advertisements, the sociologist added.
In the 1830s, white actors in the United States would blacken their faces with burnt cork or shoe polish while they performed comedy routines about - and ridiculing - black people.
These performances perpetuated a range of exaggerated negative stereotypes about African Americans, such as being lazy, ignorant and criminal.
And they were for the entertainment of a predominantly white audience.
Researchers say that at its heart, blackface is about unequal power relations and the assertion of control by one group that sees itself as superior over the other.
Blackface is thus considered derogatory in many parts of the world because it invokes a racist and painful history.
Related:
How does it translate to Singapore's context?
While the history of blackface may seem distant from this part of the world, observers CNA spoke to said portrayals of blackface or brownface are similarly no laughing matter when performed in Singapore.
Dr Terri-Anne Teo, a lecturer in the politics of race and ethnicity at the Newcastle University, wrote in a 2022 research paper that brownface and other forms of racial "impersonation" can be problematic when ethnic minorities are “misrecognised” in the form of racial stereotypes and other types of discrimination.
The parallel between blackface in the US and black/brownface in Singapore lies in how "inferiorising stereotypes continue to be produced as natural and taken for granted” wrote Dr Teo, who's also a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies think-tank.
Assoc Prof Velayutham said that with Singapore being a multi-ethnic society, numerous such stereotypes have "surfaced over generations and in some cases manifest as racial slur, bias, prejudice, discrimination, microaggression etc”.
“These are offensive and hurtful. We need to acknowledge this.
“The fact of the matter is wearing black or brownface is as offensive to a person of colour as is making slanted eye gestures at a Chinese person," he said.
"There is nothing funny about it.”
Related:
Why does it keep happening?
The persistence of controversies over the years suggests that segments of Singapore's population lack the knowledge and understanding of both the history of blackface as well as racism in general, observers said.
For instance, in the wake of the November blackface incident at the dinner and dance by local real estate group UOL, online commenters defended the act as an unintentional joke or "just people having some fun".
“Far too often, we label racist behaviour and actions as ‘casual racism’ and excuse them as unintentional, committed out of ignorance or the perpetrator doesn’t know any better," Assoc Prof Velayutham. "As a result, it is easily dismissed and people are told to move on.”
Dismissing racist acts as jokes also suggests some form of what political sociologist Saleena Saleem described as “colour-blind racism” in Singapore.
“Individuals may claim to be ‘colour-blind’ or assert that they ‘don’t see race’, yet their thinking can still be influenced by pervasive racist stereotypes in society," she said.
“As a result, when they act in racially prejudicial or discriminatory ways, they may fail to recognise or acknowledge it."
This in turn “creates an enabling environment where individuals from the majority ethnic group can downplay racist acts", added Dr Saleena, who researches issues related to race, religion and identity.
What more can be done?
Racial and religious harmony is paramount to Singapore, which experienced racial riots in the past as it transitioned from colonial rule to independence.
And laws are in place to maintain that delicate balance, such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. Counterpart legislation for racial harmony is also in the works.
Those who promote feelings of ill will and hostility between different groups on grounds of religion or race can be fined, imprisoned for up to three years or both.
Assoc Prof Velayutham said while there’s no need for stronger legal penalties, all parties involved in blackface incidents – whether schools, companies or individuals – must be held accountable.
“Singaporeans who wear black/brown face are committing a racist act and must be called out,” he said, suggesting mandatory "cultural awareness training" for offenders.
Education institutions and companies should also go beyond public apologies, which can be a “mere public relations exercise”, he added.
In UOL's apology, it did not reveal if the attendees in blackface were employees or if any action had been taken against them.
The Raffles Institution student who dressed as a delivery rider, on the other hand, was counselled and disciplined.
Related:
Assoc Prof Velayutham also stressed that being anti-racist was not about being adversarial, but about listening to victims, recognising the hurt they've experienced and being mindful going forward.
“We need to be more proactive about combating racism," he said, further suggesting public campaigns and education in workplaces, community centres and schools.
Dr Saleena, who was most recently visiting assistant professor of sociology at Boston University, urged for more “honest and constructive” conversations about race in Singapore, citing CNA’s documentary “Regardless of Race” as an example.
For example, there could be more regular dialogue sessions where Singaporeans from diverse backgrounds come together to talk about race and racism in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
She also called for more to be done in schools.
“By teaching students about the colonial roots of race, they can better understand why these racist stereotypes exist and how they continue to impact social attitudes in Singapore and around the world,” said Dr Saleena.
Over time, this could also equip Singaporeans in general “with the necessary knowledge needed to counter polarisation coming from outside our borders”, she added.
Want an issue or topic explained? Email us at digitalnews [at] mediacorp.com.sg. Your question might become a story on our site.
Continue reading...