'Blackface' performance at Exxon Mobil Independence Day event in Papua New Guinea causes controversy

By Anthony Stewart - ABC News

A performance at the Port Moresby headquarters of oil giant Exxon Mobil has sparked controversy in Papua New Guinea, with some locals saying the show disrespected their culture.

The video posted on Twitter shows a man painted brown and dressed in the traditional clothing of PNG's Tolai people while dancing around in celebration ahead of Monday's 44th independence day.

The man performs a version of a traditional dance and the crowd can be heard laughing and cheering.

It is understood the performance was part of an "adopt an expat" event that pairs PNG and international staff, in a bid to celebrate local culture.

PHOTO: Tolai woman Janet Sios (right) with a woman dressed in traditional costume, which she maintains is sacred. (Supplied: Janet Sios)

But members of the local Tolai community told the ABC that they felt the performance "didn't display appropriate respect for our culture".

"For a foreigner to just dress up, walk up, and just dance somehow, without understanding the real meaning [of the ritual] — it's offensive," Tolai woman Janet Sios said.

Ms Sios is the founder of PNG Fashion Week and has spent years working to get better recognition of traditional cultures.

She said her concern centres on the fact that the performance does not recognise the sacred nature of the dance and costume.

The Tolai woman told the ABC that she was disappointed Exxon Mobil allowed the event to happen, but she does not hold it against the person dancing in the video.

Blackface: Why do Australians keep doing it?

There seems to be a clear divide between those who see blackface as a national embarrassment and those who see it as just a bit of fun.

It is unclear whether the dancer is an Exxon Mobile employee or not.

"There's nothing wrong with a Japanese, Chinese or Australian [person] keen to take part in our culture — we encourage that, but there is a process," she said.

"[The performer] probably doesn't understand what I'm talking about — I would like to sit down with him, I would like to explain to him what is our culture."

The performance was branded as "blackface" by social media users, with one Twitter user, who identified themselves as an Aboriginal Australian, describing it as "disrespectful" and "offensive".

But Jordan Seladi, who posted the original video, responded: "As a Papua New Guinean man it isn't [disrespectful]. Most Papua New Guineans are quite happy sharing their culture with others".

Ckret2no1@Ckret2no12

 · Sep 14, 2019

Replying to @jordan_seladi @ExxonMobil_PNG

No! As an Aboriginal Australian its fn disrespectful, offensive, blackface is never OK! #blaclface #Aboriginal #Australia #racism #exxonmobil_png

Jordan Seladi@jordan_seladi

As a Papua New Guinean man it isn’t. Most Papua New Guineans are quite happy sharing our culture with others. He’s not in ‘blackface’. The tolai people cover themselves in body paint from extracted from a tree. He’s represented the region rather well.

2

5:05 PM - Sep 16, 2019 · Papua New Guinea

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The ABC sent a number of detailed questions to Exxon Mobil about the performance and its cultural sensitivity, but the American oil giant avoided questions of cultural appropriation by congratulating the people of Papua New Guinea on their independence while maintaining it was proud of its relations with the local community.

Asked specifically about the blackface accusations, Exxon Mobil later added that "independence is [an] occasion for all Papua New Guineans, regardless of their background or language or tribal affiliation, to come together as one nation and one people".

"We thank our national staff and their families for inviting our expatriate staff to share with them their customs, languages, dances and cultural 'bilas' [costumes]," he said.

"This sharing of cultures was meaningful and drove home for all participants the great lengths to which Papua New Guineans will go to preserve and celebrate their incredibly beautiful cultural heritage."

'It happened almost every year I worked there'

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VIDEO: Papua New Guineans respond to Exxon 'Tolai' dance (ABC News)

A former employee of Exxon Mobil told the ABC performances like this are almost an annual independence day celebration at the company.

Elvina Ogil worked at Exxon Mobil for four years, and said she witnessed similar performances.

"It happened almost every year that I worked there, they had this adopted expat day, where non-Papua New Guineas were dressed in traditional bilas (costumes)."

She said the performances were organised by indigenous Papua New Guineans, but she found the events culturally insensitive and inappropriate.

"It was a caricature of our culture," she said.

Some Tolai women dressed in traditional outfits to celebrate PNG's independence were offended by the video, like Esther Tiamon.

"I think it's offensive. It's not good if others imitate our culture because at the back of their mind they are making fun of our culture," she said.

"What is ours is ours."

Another, Susanne Arua, said it depended on the intent.

"My point of view is that if you dress in anybody's [traditional outfit]... doesn't matter from where, if you are doing it in respect of their culture, where they come from, it's okay," she said.

But she said people should learn about the cultural significance of what they were wearing and they shouldn't dress up "just to get audiences".

Go to this link for more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-17/exxon-mobil-black-face-controversy-port-moresby-png/11519712