Blackpool pulls plug on ‘racist’ Native American lights display
A LIGHTS display featuring Native Americans that has been part of the Blackpool Illuminations for 60 years will not return this year after complaints that it is racist.
The world-famous light show has been attracting millions of visitors to the seaside town for more than 140 years, but one of the illuminated attractions – which has featured in the light show since the 1960s – was singled out for criticism last year for portraying allegedly racist imagery.
The tableau, which usually sits on the Lancashire seaside resort’s promenade, depicts six axe-wielding Native Americans in war bonnet headdresses, dancing around a totem pole.
Last year, Blackpool council received a complaint from a member of the Chickasaw Nation, saying the artworks “reinforce racial stereotypes” about indigenous Americans.
The member of the nationally recognised US tribe, based in Oklahoma, said the continued use of the tableau showed the town “supports racism”.
The complaint letter read: “Caricatures such as these reinforce racial stereotypes of Native Americans as being primitive people who have no place in modern society.
“Showing – let alone promoting – such illuminations also does little to promote Blackpool as a welcoming community.
“Instead, it paints Blackpool as a community that supports racism and discrimination.
“Worse still, these illuminations are seen by hundreds of thousands of people each year, which means that they spread stereotypes to other communities in the UK and beyond.
“I would not expect such an exhibit to stand if it contained caricatures of black, Asian or other peoples of colour; nor should it stand if it contains caricatures of the first peoples of the United States and Canada.”
After the letter, a council spokesman said the lights “were designed and created many years ago and intended to be a celebration of different cultures”.
In February, Visitblackpool, the council’s tourism arm, said it was engaging in talks with the Native American Network about the lights.
Now, the council has announced that the image will not be returning to this year’s illuminations, which will run from Sept 2 to Jan 2.
They added that a replacement display will be created for the 2023 season and that they were “proud” to produce a new set of illuminations that “celebrate” indigenous culture.
A spokesman said: “We are re-imagining the tableau for the 2023 illuminations season with input from representatives of the Native American Network.
“We are looking to produce a new design that will celebrate indigenous culture. The current tableau will be rested for this season to enable that work to be undertaken.”
‘Caricatures such as these reinforce racial stereotypes of Native Americans as being primitive people’