Revellers agree to stop blacking up for Guy Fawkes
Guy Fawkes revellers in an English town who have worn African-style costumes in one of Britain’s biggest bonfire celebrations have agreed to stop painting their faces black, ending a practice dating back to at least World War II.
The move came after the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society in East Sussex faced pressure from a dance troupe originating from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, which was booked to join the society for its parade today but threatened a boycott.
A local Bonfire Against Racism campaign by a group of black, white and dual-heritage residents had also urged the society to stop blacking up.
But many people in the bonfire societies, whose members number in the thousands, insist that the practice is a tradition and a show of respect to Zulu warriors.
After negotiations with the dance troupe, the bonfire society has also agreed to change its costumes, removing skulls, nose rings and dead monkeys. The troupe’s leader, Thanda Gumede, complained that these were a ‘‘gross misrepresentation and unacceptable stereotype of Zulu and black people at large’’.
Gumede, 32, from Durban, runs the west Yorkshire-based song and dance troupe Zulu Tradition. The group was booked months ago to join the procession, which is attended by tens of thousands of people, but Gumede had not realised exactly how members of the bonfire society dressed.
Earlier this week he said that from an image he had seen, the costumes were not offensive, but after further research he changed his mind.
On Thursday, Gumede gave the society an ultimatum, stating: ‘‘The costume can be worn without black paint. But if you prefer to paint yourselves, may I insist on using a different colour that is drastically different from black?’’
He also told the society: ‘‘The skulls and horns make us look barbaric – the Zulu costume can be worn without them. I appreciate that the horns may be tricky, so if that can’t be changed, especially at this late hour, then we are willing to compromise.’’
Mick Symes, a committee member of the bonfire society, replied: ‘‘Our committee has accepted in full your guidance and will be instructing our members to try and achieve as much as is possible in the time available.’’
Symes said the society ‘‘became the target of a vicious campaign which had no basis in reality’’.
‘‘What we do was never intended to be racist. We are very, very happy to say we are making minor but significant alterations based on very meaningful cultural advice from Thanda.’’
Around 70 members of society are due to march in costumes.
‘‘I am not going to give a guarantee there will be no blackface around,’’ Symes said. ‘‘But the guarantee I can give is we are bending over backwards to comply with this advice.’’
Supporters of the practice have insisted that it seeks to remember the history of the Zulu people. Before the society’s decision, some warned of a backlash against the criticism, with more revellers blackening their faces than before. the the