VIDEO: Canadian students don blackface to impersonate Bolt

Jamaican colleague outraged; university denies racism

Friday, September 16, 2011

FRESHMAN students participating in an Olympics event at a university in Montreal, Canada have been accused of racism after they covered their skin with black paint, carried monkey mascots and allegedly chanted 'smoke more weed'.

Students at the University of Montreal's business school dressed up as Jamaican sprinters, wore rasta wigs and waved Jamaican flags for the event on Wednesday.

The event, organised by the sports and leisure committee at the university's Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) business school, was part of an annual athletic week to encourage students to take part in extra-curricular activities.

One student, who is of Jamaican descent, took particular insult with them and said he felt both uncomfortable and shocked when he saw what they were wearing and heard what they were chanting.

Law student Anthony Morgan said: "They had reduced all of who I am and the history of Jamaica and culture of Jamaica to these negative connotations of weed smoking, black skin, rastas. In this instance, it was meant to be ridiculed and seen as something that was fun and acceptable. It was humiliating as though your race is somehow a costume for baffoonery, as though somehow I was invisible or less than a person. It was really tough to have to walk by that. It’s a very painful reminder of a time when we weren’t considered people. I don’t think that was anyone’s intention but it was still deeply disturbing."

When one of the group members noticed Morgan, he allegedly yelled: "Look guys, we’ve got a real black!" He then turned to the crowd and continued chanting: "Smoke some weed! Yeah mon! Yeah mon!"

Morgan said he was considering filing a human rights complaint with Quebec Human Rights Commission.

But the University has defended the students saying the freshmen were assigned an ambassador and sport for the day and had to dress up in costume according to the ambassador.

Theirs was Usain Bolt - the Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medallist - and their event was track and field.

Committee director Frank Sciortino said: "Usain Bolt, being on the front page of everything concerning track and field due to his multiple record-breaking performances, was the group's ambassador for the day. Consequently, the group decided to costume themselves as Usain Bolt, emphasising on the Jamaican colours, his native country."

A University of Montreal official said the school is looking into the incident.

Fo Niemi, the executive director of the Centre for Research Action on Race Relations, said he would contact the university and demand that action be taken.

"What kind of a message does it send to your black students when you don’t stand up for them. What kind of message does it send to the community at large?" he said.

"It may be a simple case of ignorance but ignorance doesn’t excuse this type of behaviour. We have to look at this as a learning opportunity. As a chance for the school to reform its code of conduct and for them to address the issue of race on campus."

[ video link for mobile viewing ]

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COMMENTS (33)

Verna Kitson
9/18/2011

Our responses to this will be interesting, given that we actively encourage "blackface" and all kinds of other parody right here in Jamaica; it's called tourist season. Has anyone seen the quality of the figurines, carvings etc. being sold in the shops and craft markets? Anybody seen the activities that happen in our hotels and "tourist attractions" each year? Double standards abound.

Lionel Gayle
9/17/2011

I believe they were merely aiming for the verisimilitude in the detail of their presentation, hence the black painting to resemble Bolt. And if I were white and wanted to look like the world's foremost track star, I would've done the same. Believe it or not, that harmless incident has advanced the popularity of Jamaica. I don't understand the connection with the monkey mascots, and I wouldn't fuss over weed. If they had taken their action too far, the university should guide them back to safety.

carol bryan
9/17/2011

Living in a country as a member of a demographic minority I have experienced many instances where people have tried to be racist with me in mind as their victim. If my safety is at risk I take it seriously and will be very proactive ruling out no option to protect myself. If it's slights or insults I am so indifferent to their efforts they usually select another victim. Once you understand the psychology that is the etiology of this behavior you will pity instead of being angry at these fools.

Chipmunk L.
9/17/2011

Ignorance, racism and hatred is everywhere. It is most often taught at home by parents who indoctrinate their children. Look around you at any park where children play, they never see or associate colour unless taught by adults. Quebec Canada has always been known to hate everything not French! They have tried on many occassion to secede from Canada in general.
We should not be surprised of their behaviour but challenge it whenever or whereever we can.
Mr Morgan should file a complaint now.

Peter Lawrence
9/17/2011

Cement-heads and racists. I am surprised that usually tolerant FRENCH CANADIANS have descended into the racist monkey business , and have thereby compromised the goodwill french people there have previously had.Then the UNIVERSITY tries to defend this stupidity. Those who berated Bolt for podium antics should now also berate these mental dropouts for racist attacks on our champion. BUT what can we expect from others when black Jamaicans are still ambivalent about race?

Patrick Brown
9/17/2011

The odd thing about the weed issue is that Jamaicans are not the only people who smoke marijuana. I suppose their best effort in something that should have been creative, was to tear down the image, and character, of someone who has achieved far more than most of them will ever do, in their highly advantaged lives.

Garfield Wright
9/17/2011

So many people on this forum complaining about racist behaviour and at the same time throw around racist comments of their own "whitey, yellow skin, small penis, red neck". C'mon people we need to raise the bar as 2 wrongs don't make a right. What right do you have to complain if you so readily reveal similar racist views. We need to have mutual respect for our fellow human beings regardless of skin colour, gender, age, religion or sexuality then and only then can we all live peacefully

Garfield Wright
9/17/2011

So many people on this forum complaining about racist behaviour and at the same time throw around racist comments of their own "whitey, yellow skin, small penis, red neck". C'mon people we need to raise the bar as 2 wrongs don't make a right. What right have you to complain when you so readily embrace this offensive behavior. We need to have mutual respect for our fellow human beings regardless of skin colour, gender, age, religion or sexuality then and only then can we all live peacefully

Jakan 2011
9/16/2011

@Robert C, Canada was always like that. Those with power are core English straight from the UK. I am here 15 years and it's pure hell-no peace!@ John B, yu leff off the part 'bout di monkey. Yu conveniently blind? I want the young man to file the human rights complaint and keep us posted so the world can see the joke human rights issues are in Canada. The UN needs to step up action here. Trust me this is such a racist hell hole yet the world thinks otherwise. Why and how come?

Nejeeper KNG
9/16/2011

When they can't catch you to put a noose around your neck they use class warfare by trying to tear you down physiologically. This goes to show that racist are not necessarily ignorant rednecks they are also so-called educated. They should pay more attention to the tanning machines that are giving them skin cancer because they want to be so-called "dark."

Jenifer Lopez
9/16/2011

I'm not condoning this behaviour but as J'cans we treat each other with the same indignation or worse. We think we're better than ppl because we are lighter than them. Light skinned girls are considered pretty even when their facial features say otherwise. They are likely to get hired over their darker counterparts. J'can men adore the ground that brown girls walk on....yes I said it. Our outcry here is almost like saying we can discriminate against each other but how dare they do the same to u

Jenifer Lopez
9/16/2011

FYI.......whoever said Toronto is the only city where multiculturalism is embraced clearly hasn't lived there. Toronto is like any other city in Canada............very intolerant of any race except Caucasian. Very hypocritical ppl who try to insult your intelligence and think ur too stupid to understand their mind games....but on the note of colour, Jamaicans are famous for favouring ppl of lighter hue than darker skin ppl.........so are we not hypocrites too??? Brown wid pretty hair as they say

D J
9/16/2011

Some of you Kwame, Kevin etc have said we should not be angry with these students for they are only depicting what they know about us as Jamaicans....okay, so black, rastas, ganja smoking....I can see that, but please explain how the monkey mascots come into play....when it is a fact that the term monkey is a used in a degrading way to describe the physical attributes of black people...

robert chang
9/16/2011

Canada never use to be like that though, it was the racists in the uk who taught it to them. Even through times of slavery canada was a place where lots of black were left to live their lives in peace.
The English never liked how the black canadians lived without harrassment so they trained the canadians to become fearful like them.
Misery sure loves company

james allen
9/16/2011

wow,and to them its a joke ha,in year 2011,21st century...but what you expect from the small penis people,they always have something hitler like up their sleves.....

john blake
9/16/2011

We black, we smoke ganja and we rasta.....why be ashame when mimicked

Kwame Gordon-Martin
9/16/2011

@Robert Chang, I never said they liked us nor do I think Jamaicans need to beg people to like them. Comprehenshion is key. To clarify, when you sell JA to the world as a place of "no problem", weed smoking, gay bashing, etc according to our popular culture and imagery then be prepared for that which you send out to come back at you, distorted even, but come back at you nevertheless. If you are uncomfortable with this, change it by educating and influencing those around you. Or bitch on a forum?

Yard Vibz
9/16/2011

A lot of new faces here, but what's the average age of a freshman class, 18-19 y-old maybe? And furthermore, the mentioned institution is located in one of Canada’s most racist providences (Quebec). This place bears similarities to Montana in the US. Also, what's the odd of this unpalatable act happening in a place such as Toronto? To the best of my knowledge, Toronto is the only city in Canada where cultural diversity is embraced. Being a university student doesn’t exempt one from ignorance.

Elli Deedo
9/16/2011

Those uncivilized yellow skinned Psychopaths are only expressing their regret for being yellow skinned. They are so deranged that they are not capable to recognize the severe Mental and emotional disorder in which they are suffering from. They are not racist, but rather a group of very sick people seeking recognition. Let us cheer them and encourage them to continue, they are very amusing rather than disturbing. The yellow Cannibals are here to stay, great we've surpassed them intellectually:

robert chang
9/16/2011

@Kwame Gordon-Martin they want to like us so they depict us as monkeys? lmao, Im sure when the white girl ask rihanna couple months ago why her real hair look so nappy she was trying to show ri ri some love too. Rihanna did put her in her place good on rihanna. Quit the foolishness these people are not god they bleed just like all of us, when they come here we should give them a taste of their own medicine. They say if someone bully you, You should stand up to them, not give them a pat.

Care Beee
9/16/2011

I take offense to the fact that some ppl think that black and rasta have negative connotations. What they did was offensive and racist because of the direct link between a white person painting themselves black and the racially charged act of 'blackface' - when a performer acts like a stereotyped black person. How can the university defend them when they carried monkey mascots and chanted about weed? Their entire performance had no cultural credence. This is sad sad sad!!!!

Hamed Assanie
9/16/2011

If you Jamaicans think Canadians care about Jamaican you have another thing coming.I have lived in this country we call Canada .Canadian people do not like Jamaicans they are a bunch of RED NECKS .

Sandra Chin
9/16/2011

Insult! I never hesitate to tell these "whiteys" that in MY beautiful country - Jamaica - our motto is "out of many one people", that I do not look at skin color but it's the character that counts and to invite them to Jamaica where they can see we are not jumping from trees likes monkeys but in many instances have a higher standard of living than some of them and we are not "frightened" for what they have. Living in the US due to family ties but will not stop flying the Jamaican flag high.

the realest no fakeness
9/16/2011

These students know exactly what they were doing. Its not innocent when using a monkey to depict black people and stereotyping a whole. These are some of the same people who hide behind their computers, on YouTube and post racist remarks, calling people monkey and so forth. They just felt comfortable doing it on their campus with subtlety.
Deep down inside though they want to be like us, but they are weak, so this is how it comes out. Pity them.

Jakan 2011
9/16/2011

And believe it or not as recent as 1993 my friends cousin moved away from Alberta after her best friend kept drawing closer and closer as she bathed her new born and then out of frustration one day asked ,so where is his tail? She, her very dear and good white friend actually thought black people have tails. You fool yourselves to think racism is dead. We live it everyday and ignorant people both black and white don't want to hear or talk about it and so do human rights commissions in Canada..

Jakan 2011
9/16/2011

Believe it or not, this pervasive ignorance goes far beyond any frosh joke. It goes to the work place and generally keeps black people out of everything in Canada. I had one hell in a group project with some idiots including the "professor" who allowed a whole Mgt class to leave thinking it's Ok to fire a person for being black and others don't want to deal with them. The prof told the class there is not law against that it is just humanity and human feelings. Needless to say I was left shocked!

Charles Battiste
9/16/2011

@Kwame and Martin, University Students ignorant of Jamaica and its culture? Really? You know when I am asked to celebrate or recognize another culture, I do research about that culture, so that I can do it justice. But you have to care in order to go that route. This ignorant red monkies did not care enough about our culture and people do research us. To them we are not worth it...plain racism. They should learn hard about this, it is 2011 not 1911.

G T
9/16/2011

BADMIND... BADMIND.... BADMIND... Thats all it boils down to... plain and simple badminded.... grudge full and envious..... they believed themselves less than us to they did their best to bring us down in their own mind.... but it showed what they really are. the school is trying to justified the actions but they can not... file the complain Morgan please do so quickly

Duwaine campbell
9/16/2011

These students were holding up monkeys,i wonder to represent who or what.Seeing that im convinced,that this action was much more than ignorance but a direct attempt to not only insult a nation but a race.This is not the first time,whites are reffering to BLACKS as monkeys.But that,s typically them.Whenever they cant lead or have their way they demonise you by bringing out what they see as the negatives.We call that ''BADMIND",simple.

Ms Broseno
9/16/2011

Representing Bolt as an ambassador I understand, the "smoke some weed" I do not get. I have never heard of Usain Bolt being associated with smoking weed.The intent however sound was sullied by their actions. Hopefully the college will address issues of multiculturalism with them so that next time they will be more sensitive to national differences in cultures.

Marcus Brutus
9/16/2011

WOW...University students in Canada. ..creative minds of the future and the best they could do was walk around with monkey mascots, locks and black paint as a representation to depict the image of Usain Bolt. Racism and profiling defended by the institution. How do you justify the use of a monkey to represent Jamaica and Bolt. The only monkeys we have in Jamaica are the people who blindly sign the work permits to allow these bigots in to defraud our nation.

Kwame Gordon-Martin
9/16/2011

@ Kevin- right on. Love it or hate it, this is what they know about us, this is what is out there in the ethos. Only we can change it. Don't get offended, get motivated.

kevin sanders
9/16/2011

This is a good opportunity to educate our foreign admirers that we are not all about weed, dreadlocks, sun and sand. They portray what they know and the little that they know about us. Many also want to be like us so let's not jump to conclusion and condemn them for an innocent though ignorant prank but let's educate them.

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VIDEO: Canadian students don blackface to impersonate Bolt