to find this nativity play offensive

[soggy14]

Have just been to dss nativity. It was called something like "Merry Christmas from around the world" and had the Christmas story told with breaks whilst kids dressed as being from different countries came adn danced and said "Merry Christmas". I found ti offensive - in particular they had children from "Africa" all with tribal war paint on their faces doing what looked like a rain dance, also lots of Indians in saris saying Merry Christmas, and for America they had kids dressed as cowboys and Indians. It was rounded off with a song about the fact that in every tribe across the world people were celebrating Christmas. Am interested to know what anyone else would think?

offended by a lack of corners on your cheese

Don't tell me you missed The Cheese Thread?

Bloody hell lougle you had me worried there for a minute, - I wondered what had happened to an otherwise sane poster!

YABVU - to me this is a prime example of how we are all so pushed about by Political Correctness hysteria.

The children had fun, they enjoyed dressing up and probably learnt something along the way. Why do you have to ruin it by taking petty offence to such minor details...?

Asteria - except the children didn't learn anything except a load of old misinformation! It might not be the crime of the century, but it's just lazy.

They'd have still learnt misinformation if they'd done a traditional nativity. At least this way it's inclusive.

YABU you are looking for offense when there is none. Chill and enjoy life.

Blu I used to be a TA and generally when they do plays the children have some form of discussion around it in class. Even if it is something just as simple as being able to tell the difference between a country and an continent then they have learnt something.

What would have been an appropriate alternative? There ARE cowboys and Native Americans still in America. Christian Indians also wear Saris and last time I checked one can actually go to Africa and find people doing tribal dances whilst wearing paint on their faces. Do we herd them all up and refuse to release them until they stop this outrageous social stereotyping - or perhaps lighten up and deal with the bigger things?

True, MrManager

Oh my gawd. Chill out. And re the saris - was at my friend's house for a party the other night - most other guests Indian. And the women were mostly in saris - super glam ones. Felt very drab in comparison. If you get the chance to wear a sari in your school play take it with both hands. Those sterotypes do exist for a reason. Marlboro cigarettes didn't choose a Wall St Banker or a Jewish Princess. Hard to sum up a country in a quickly recognisable kid's outfit without using stereotypes. Doesn't mean they are offensive.

I find it very offensive.

The whole point of the nativity play is to illustrate the birth of jesus, the barn, the donkey, brightest star etc etc.

I'm not particularly religious but its such an integral, traditional part of christmas.

All these comments about racism are absolutely cack.

Its not racist to expect a nativity play to be about the nativity.

Spanky - I think that the OP was slightly mixed up with the naming of it - you are right, a Nativity Play is about the Nativity Story. What she went to see was just a Christmas Play. You are entirely correct in your points, I think you just missed the OP's point slightly - not a great problem as it was a pretty dodgy point to make anyway!

I agree with the op.

Outdated stereotype of the 'Africans' is rather insulting. WOuldn't have been out of place when I were a lass int eh 70s.

Who are these "Africans" anyway....

by saying 'African' i mean that kind of 70s view of africa as a single homogenous groupthat adhere to some ridiculous stereotype.

If you think that's offensive, you wouldn't have liked this years nativity play in my local nursery.

The children were given their roles, then told they could dress however they chose.

Joseph decided to dress up as Mario!!! This was perfectly acceptable to the nursery, and they allowed this, encouraged it even, prior to the performance.

I found it a little distasteful tbh. Seemed to make the nativity a laughing stock, instead of a fun way to celebrate the birth of Christ.

I'm not overzealous about religion, but this seemed wrong to me.

What's wrong with the tried and trusted format that has worked well for years??

Our yrs 1+2 did this one. (DS is yr 2) Our children from Africa were from a specific African country (Malawi, I think) and wore bright coloured tunic things (also due to illness there were only two of them!)

Our American children wore boring party clothes, no cowboys or feathered headdresses. I thought it was cute, but I guess if your school used outdated stereotypes it may have a certain offensiveness to it. I don't think the play itself is inherently racist, it's meant to celebrate unity and diversity at the same time.

The play sounds adorable, like 'It's a Small World' but with real cute things dressed up.

YABU.

Tell me about cheese. I love cheese, corners or not.

Cheesegate I cannot believe it passed you by..

Christmas around the world = fine.

Lazy stereotypes = not fine.