Royal Adelaide Show may not accept golliwog dolls after social media backlash
ROYAL Adelaide Show organisers may not accept golliwog dolls for future events after a social media backlash.
ROYAL Adelaide Show organisers may not accept golliwog dolls for future exhibits after a racism outcry on social media.
The controversial dolls, which were entered into the “traditional children’s soft toy” section of the handicrafts competition, were removed from display after Facebook group Deadly Yarning from South Australian Aboriginal Communities posted images of them on Sunday.
“When you go to the 2018 Royal Adelaide Show Royal Adelaide Show only to see #RacistDolls …” the post read.
The dolls won first, second and fourth place in their class.
Janette Milera, a Kaurna woman who is one of the administrators of the Facebook group, said she found it hard to believe gollies were exhibited, let alone won prizes.
Ms Milera said the group had received both negative and positive reactions, “mostly people of non-colour telling me we’re sort of over-reacting”.
“Please don’t tell me how to feel because you don’t walk in my shoes,” she said.
Ms Milera said she would like to see the Show not exhibit golliwogs in the future, and praised the swift action of organisers in removing the dolls.
“In all fairness, they were really good in their response and their swift action. I think it has been a learning experience for everybody,” she said.
Royal Adelaide Show general manager Michelle Hocking said they would “review the acceptance of golly dolls” for the 2019 event.
“After a strong negative public sentiment against the dolls via social media, the decision was made to remove the dolls,” she said. “At no point was any offence intended.”
Ms Hocking added that “once the dolls were removed there was a groundswell of disappointment that this had occurred”.
In their response to the online post, the Show pointed out that “there are variety of traditional dolls entered in the handicrafts competition including Parisian dolls, Japanese dolls and African dolls, however the dolls above have been removed from the display.”
Handicrafts co-ordinator Ann Bone said she thought the social media backlash was “a bit sad”.
“I’m sorry that people are offended but a lot of people have very happy memories of their childhood spent with their golly because it was just a traditional toy,” she said, adding she had spoken to the competition winners.
“It is their work that is being criticised and they’re sad, but they understand that some people get upset by it.”
There was a backlash two years ago when Advertiser columnist Petra Starke denounced the inclusion of golliwog dolls in the handicrafts exhibits — back in 2016 they had their own class.
But there is some doubt the dolls will be accepted in future.
“We don’t want to cause any problems with anybody,” Ms Bone said. “It is something we, as a committee, will talk about with the Show society and with the people who make traditional dolls.”