Costumes ‘deeply offensive’
Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy has condemned a series of images of Manawatu-based party-goers dressed in blackface and depicting blood-streaked terrorists.
Photos of the inflammatory costumes emerged in the wake of a ‘Too Soon’ party held at a Palmerston North bar on August 19 by the Massey University Veterinary Students’ Association (MUVSA).
Among them is a smiling woman with a moko and blackface makeup, a man wearing a bloody terrorist costume, and a man dressed as a terrorist in a truck in a reference to the Nice terrorist attacks, appearing to run into a blood-spattered person holding a baguette.
The photos were released by a student who said she was ‘‘disgusted’’ by them.
The woman, who declined to be named for fear of repercussions, said she was not at the party and was not sure if the images were visible publicly online. But at least two were widely available on Facebook.
The photos were being discussed by students at the Massey campus, many of whom were shocked, she said.
‘‘I found it upsetting that someone would role play something that killed 84 people [the Nice attack] – these are people’s families, and you don’t know the connection that other people have had to that.
‘‘The theme is ‘too soon’, so you know [they know] it’s inappropriate.’’
Another image she supplied was from a MUVSA party last year, and showed a group of men wearing blackface, and dressed in Indian outfits.
Devoy called the costumes ‘‘deeply offensive’’.
‘‘Muslim New Zealanders and Maori New Zealanders are more than a costume for anyone to dress up in and think they’re hilarious ... grow up – you are not funny.’’
Devoy said a friend of hers had been seriously injured in terrorist attacks, and she noted that last year a Muslim woman was accused of being an Isis supporter and her husband punched at The Plaza shopping centre in Palmerston North in front of their 2-yearold.
‘‘Stereotyping and humiliating entire communities leads to ignorance
‘‘Grow up – you are not funny.’’ Same Susan Devoy, Race Relations Commissioner
and violence. This is not us,’’ she said.
Manawatu Multicultural Council president Meriam Findlay said she found the costumes offensive, and worried the culturally offensive jokes could be shameful to Palmerston North. ‘‘We have a French community here. If it was for a drinking group, I don’t think that’s really appropriate.’’
MUVSA president Corey Regnerus said there had been no formal complaints made about the event or costumes. He was not at the party, but said it was not open to the public, and less than 100 people were there.
‘‘MUVSA acknowledge that while the theme ... ‘Too Soon’ was intended to be light-hearted and encourage a fun work-life balance, individual interpretation on the evening, portrayed in a few costumes, was inappropriate.
‘‘We do not encourage entertainment at the expense of others.’’
He did not respond to questions about whether any action would be taken, or whether the ‘Too Soon’ parties would be held again.
Massey University Students’ Association president Nikita Skipper said she was pleased MUVSA had ‘‘positively initiated’’ discussion about ‘‘what is culturally correct when interacting with diverse and different groups’’.
‘‘MUSA supports students having a good time, and letting off steam.
‘‘What MUSA doesn’t support is an instance where the use of someone’s ethnicity, race or nationality is used at the expense of someone else for a laugh.’’
Manawatu Muslims’ Association president Zulfiqar Butt said MUVSA should not have let students wear the costumes.
‘‘We will try to talk to them and make sure that next time they are more careful.
‘‘Overall, it’s a very peaceful community in Palmerston North and at Massey, so I’m not sure why they did this.’’
A Massey University spokesman said the party was privately organised, and they had received no complaints connected to it.
He did not respond to questions about whether the matter would be investigated.
The university’s code of student conduct requires students to treat other students, staff and the public with courtesy and respect.