Damn, Connell, no offense, bruh...but I just can't get behind that. That is fucking atrocious. So, like, between this, the Zollmen Bobongo, and the lil dude that comes with the Gorilla Ju, when did racist toys become "the cool thing"?
Did your people shrink heads, wear leopard skins, and paint their bodies with skeleton motifs? I'm not saying they didn't, and if you, as an artist, want to express your people's heritage, that's awesome...but there's also this recent spike in these sorts of toys. Is it a coincidence that your concept came out the same time as that Bobongo or the CKA Gorilla? I'm not saying you're hopping on this trend, but it's pretty fucking clear to me that this trend is fucked up and racist regardless of how you position your figure. Just go back and watch the original King Kong movie. I love the movie, but the depiction of the "savage" islanders (portrayed by buffoonish black actors) is fucking horrendous. With typical hipster-ironic flair (read: gross cultural insensitivity and hype generation via controvery), Bobongo and Gorilla Ju are certainly cashing in on that...aesthetic. Like I said, if you want to express your people's heritage, that's the best shit I've heard all day...but with the timing and stylistic similarities, do you really want to be lumped in with those other toys?
In no way do i see this as racist head hunting was a ceremonial ritual practised by people from china, Borneo Philippines and many other country's they were very loyal warriors and fearless. In world war 2 they helped fight off the imperial Japanese army and helped stranded airmen from being captured by the Japanese. But i see what you mean about the whole savages thing with gorilla ju. but at the end of the day they are toys
I think modern culture has deemed those tribes primitive or savage. In reality, I'm sure there are many ways their culture is more advanced than ours. From their shamanistic understanding of local plants, to the self reliance of their isolated tribes. If you or I were dropped into that environment, we'd last a week. If they shrunk heads, it was a defense tactic to terrify potential enemies, actually a very smart move in my opinion. Did they wear leopard skins? Probably not, but their clothes probably came from the hide of some type on animal. Paint their bodies, get tattooed, pierce themselves. From what I've seen it seems so, and those expressions were important to their belief system. I can see the Gorilla JU omake being iffy... But this is 2010 I think we can set aside their portrayal in old black and white films and appreciate and draw inspiration from those cultures. I don't see this or Bobango as racist at all.
Well, what do you like about them? I'm sure there's more than these toys just being "hip" or "ironic" or "controvertial". I'm really curious about what you think. See, whatever reasons you give, that's cool...but honestly, Joel, do you REALLY think everyone who buys them do so for the reasons you provide (or other valid aesthetic arguments)? Come on. I'm sure that there are a lot of folks who don't see these toys as being racist. Good for you. To me, they are "silly" (read: buffoonish) depictions of indigenous peoples who have been ravaged by cultures who have always dehumanized them as being "savages". Of course they're "just" toys...and the illiterate Stepin Fetchit Autobots from the latest Transformers movie (Skids and Mudflap) are "just" computer-animated characters in a fucking movie. But do you really want to dismiss every grossly insensitive--but supposedly inconsequential--example of racism in pop culture? By saying "it's just a toy", or "it's just a movie", or "I don't think it's racist", you're putting an end to any dialogue about the issue at all...and I tend to doubt that my eyebrow was the only one that rises when I see these toys...
Given that everyone who got one of these knows that Joel made them. I seriously doubt racism was why people bought these. I think you are reading too much into this.
How exactly are these toys supposedly racist? Why assume that the use of motifs or relics from certain cultures or belief systems are derogatory in nature? I agree with the Kong example. But the toys I see as completely different.
the Cleveland Indians are JUST a baseball team, I have lived in Cleveland for 27 years and there excistance has never muddled mine or my racial identity, I know alot of people have protested that fact over the years, whether or not it is an acceptable thing is going to be up to the individual as it always should be, but the fact is you see charactures of every race in media (not just colored folks, honkeys get poked fun off as well) and pop culture, the fighting/drunken/goat fucking irish, gay brits, eskimos, annoying frenchmen, trader vics natives, native american sports teams, mexicans taking siesta statues, they are not going away and when plyed properly are damn funny just watch any animated sitcom/commedy on the market today so you may not like it but as usual we do have to tolerate it case in point http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6jw05RTW_I
Very...cogent...arguments. I never said Joel was racist. Way to project those insecurities. So...then why are your spear-chucker toys so good? And how are they not cashing in on a hip, ironic trend? Hey, I'm a pretty racy dude. I love Dave Chappelle and the Boondocks...and that bit from Sealab is a classic. Humor that satirizes bigotry is great, in my opinion. So...what is it about Bobongo and Gorilla Ju (if not this Sarumon) is so redeeming? Or am I not "kewl" enough to get it?
They are semi-mocking and laughing at the ignorant Western culture for thinking such stupid things in the first place as well as celebrating the design work that actually accompanied a lot of that type of artwork (pulp mag covers of savages and adventurers, etc.) when looking at it w/o the racial meaning. There was some great art and design from those mags and even cartoons if you're willing to look at them w/a mind set that takes away the original intent. You can appreciate something that was originally ignorant and racist for it's raw quality. For me it has nothing to do with being "hip" or falling into some trend. I don't think it does for a lot of people but it's cool you seem to put anyone who likes these into that bracket. BTW, I was totally being "snarky" there Anyway, that's how I think of it. I love a lot of the old "Uncle Tom" art and design used in older Americana stuff but am aware of it's history and what was being implied. Again, I appreciate/mock/respect all at the same time with things like this.
personally I can find nothing redeeming about gorilla ju from either side of the fence, I can see how the style of the figure could raise a question as it is a bit brighter and stylized than the pic of the tribesman but at the same time it is a toy that would need to be sold to be succesful enough to fund/push further projects, I do not think many people would have bought an unpainted tan one with a burlap loincloth
Thanks for actually endeavoring to answer my questions, Jeff. Okay, so you dig these toys because they supposedly mock racism. I guess that's...ironic. If it floats your boat, aiight then. I guess irony doesn't impress me much. I see historical examples of Sambo and whatnot, and they disgust me. I put on Fox News, and it disgusts me. I see these toys, and, well...I guess my eyes aren't trained to see the mockery that's there. I've shown Joel's Sarumon, Gorilla Ju's omake, and the Zollmen Bobongo to three co-workers of color now. They didn't get it. I told them it was "ironic". They still didn't get it.
