Coon cheese to scrap product’s ‘racist’ name

A DARWIN Aboriginal activist has spearheaded a campaign that’s pushed the Canadian owner of Coon cheese to scrap the product’s ‘racist’ name

Darwin Aboriginal activists Stephen Hagan has been advocating for the Coon cheese name to be changed since 1999

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A DARWIN Aboriginal activist has spearheaded a campaign that’s pushed the Canadian owner of Coon cheese to scrap the product’s ‘racist’ name.

The multinational Saputo has today released a statement to announce it will change the name Coon cheese as part of its corporate stance against racism.

“After thorough consideration, Saputo has decided to retire the Coon brand name,” it read.

“We are working to develop a new brand name that will honour the brand-affinity felt by our valued consumers while aligning with current attitudes and perspectives.

“We believe we all share in the responsibility to eliminate racism in all its forms, and we feel this is an important step we must take to uphold this commitment.”

The cheese was named after American Edward William Coon, who in 1926 patented the “ripening process” for the original product.

Darwin Aboriginal activists Stephen Hagan, who has been advocating for the Coon name to be scrapped since 1999, said this change had been a long time coming.

“I’m over the moon, but it’s been well overdue,” Dr Hagan said.

“People of colour, especially First Nations people in Australia, are offended by that brand name in use in this country since November 1935, as it is a celebrated term used by our oppressors to demean and subjugating us as a race.”

Dr Hagan, one of Australia’s first Indigenous diplomats, said he found the word as offensive as the N-word.

“I know some people don’t understand why I’m making a big fuss about this word but they probably also have no idea what it’s like to be called that as a person of colour,” he said. “People ought to realise they’re not living in a white Australia.

“Times have changed and we need to change out thinking. I saw the same backlash when we first pushed to change the name of the “N***r Brown Stand” in Toowoomba a few years ago.

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“I’m not going to sit back and ignore things like that, I’m not amused by racist terms. I not afraid to challenge the status quo.”

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