Living In Colour by lailythomas Lai

Laily

Thomas

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JUDGED BY

Living in Colour An insight from Asia & Western Perspective

PERCEPTION

Closer view of microscopic on the surface of our skin.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO SKIN

CULTURAL PERCEPTION OF SKIN COLOUR

What does skin represents to you?

Culture of media, film & product view on skin colour.

SKIN COLOUR IN MODERN WORLD

ENCOUNTER WITH DIFFERENCES

What Nina Jablonski thoughts on.

Why we are different?

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THE DISCRIMINATION OF COLOUR

LIVING IN COLOUR

Catergorised in different type of people in race, age, sex or disability.

The new beginning of all.

Closer view of front view of human face.

Published by Laily Thomas Design by Laily Thomas Production by Laily Nordiyanah UWE , University West of England Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY United Kingdom Email: infopoint@uwe.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)117 9656261 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of the copyright holder. ISBN: 1-33849420-00-X and 874-287779-00-3 45802287 I would like to thank you for all the people who contribute to this project, whether it from my hometown and my colleague , my lecturer in UK. Signed

Laily Thomas

Living In Colour

This project examines the perception of skin relation to Asia & Western perspectives. Skin has become an universal theme to everyone so I wanted to research on the differences perspectives between Asia & Western, as they both have different opinions. Especially in Asia, to some certain county, they had this believe to be successful or to be beautiful, you need to have a fairer skin, whereas Westerners favor more to have a dark skin known as tan, as perceive to be more beautiful & nice. Moreover, skin colour also contribute to be an cultural issue whether in society, media or capital.

Perspective Studies

IN THIS BOOK, WILL BE INTRODUCING FIRST THE ORIGIN INTRODUCTION TO SKIN, SKIN COLOUR TOGETHER MOVES TO THE PART OF CULTURAL & SOCIETY. NOTED TO THE READER, THIS BOOK COVERS GENERALISATION TO THE TOPIC OF SKIN COLOUR & THROUGH MY OBSERVATION TOGETHER WITH STORIES THAT I HEARD.

Laily Thomas

Living In Colour

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Living In Colour

INTRODUCTION TO SKIN Does skin represents you?

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global GAZE

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n this modern world, we tend to look at people in certain way. But how do one think of the word term skin? What does skin represents you?

kin is commonly known as the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. -- Wikiepedia.

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Skin structure human 1 2 3

kin is the largest organ ofthe body, with a total area of about 20 square feet. The skin protects us from microbes and the elements, helps regulate body temperature,and permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold.

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The epidermis

The outermost layer of skin, provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone.

The dermis

Beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands.

Made of fat and connective tissue.

Skin has three layers:

The deeper subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis)

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Melanocytes

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The skin’s color is created by melanocytes, which produce the Melanocytes are located in the

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special cells called pigment melanin. epidermis.

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SKIN COLOUR IN MODERN WORLD What Nina Jablonski thoughts on.

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Humans have been on the road for a long time. The first dispersers from tropical Africa around 2 million years ago were early members of the genus Homo and are generally called Homo erectus. Populations of Homo erectus spread out to the farthest reaches of Africa and Eurasia. Those who came to inhabit parts of Indonesia, eastern China, and southwestern Europe had tenures of more than 1 million years, but most populations became extinct without trace by about 250,000 years ago. There were some notable exceptions, the most famous being the lineage that gave rise to Neanderthals. The earliest members...

-- Nina Jablonski, 2012

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“Skin is not an illusion.”

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“Nina Jablonski says that differing skin colors are simply our bodies’ adaptation to varied climates and levels of UV exposure.”

I S N

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“My ultimate goal in this research is for people to understand color is a result of evolution. That’s it. Skin color has no connection to the evolution of other traits.” 24

e inherit our skin color from our ancestors, and so it is obviously a trait that is tied to our biology and genetics. But what is it that brought about such a diversity of human skin colors? And how can knowledge about the natural history of skin inform questions surrounding societal notions of skin color and our health? These are a few questions that form the basis for what Penn State anthropologist Nina Jablonski calls an explanatory framework of the evolution of skin pigmentation in modern human beings. It all began in the early 1990s when Jablonski began exploring gaps in the literature about the evolution of human skin and skin color.

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The Sepia Rainbow

Artist’s rendition of a map created by Nina Jablonski and George Chaplin showing predicted skin colors of human natives of various regions based on levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun in each region. Cut-Paper Illustration by Gail McCormick.

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t the outset, then, living near the equator, all humans would have had dark skin. But that’s only half the riddle. Why and how did lightly pigmented skin come about? The answer, Jablonski reasoned, involves another key vitamin—and the history of human migration.

n the early 1990s, the evolution of skin color was regarded by many of her peers as an intractable problem. Theory held that darker skin had evolved in order to afford early humans—who had recently lost the cover of fur—a protection against skin cancer under the tropical sun. But skin cancers, Jablonski knew, almost always arise later in life, when an individual is past reproductive age. Blocking their occurrence would offer little or no evolutionary advantage.

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“I’m hoping this research gives people the appreciation that their bodies are the products of evolution. We’ve undergone evolutionary change just like the bodies of other creatures. And this evolution has implications for our health.”

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FINDING YOUR ROOTS Nina Jablonski Case Study

Since arriving to Penn State in 2006, Jablonski has not only found tremendous support for her research, but also in considering new ways to apply it. Along with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., she has gathered a group of historians, artists, biologists, geneticists, genealogists, and educators to develop a curriculum that would bridge her work in the evolution of skin color to inviting students to consider who they are genetically, genealogically, socioculturally, and intentionally.

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Living In Colour

he result—the Genetics and Genealogy Curriculum Project— is aimed at middle-school-aged children and offers a curriculum that explores personalized genetics and genealogy in the classroom as a way to get kids to connect with their heritage, while at the same time, creating an interest in science.

“This has been an important fo to make my research worthy a families,” Jablonski said. “As a traditional ways of getting info and science journals and that’s grounding. But, if you really wan lives with something that truly m to find ways to reach them

“T

he buy-in we’ve gotten from the University community, the Eberly College of Science, and across other colleges and academic units has been tremendous,” Jablonski said. “People want to know how they can help, and I think that speaks to the truly collaborative environment of Penn State from my colleagues all the way up to leadership. Their support and that willingness to be intellectually adventurous allows me to have greater impact.

“

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he program introduces students to key concepts in biology and evolution, human variation, and health using hands-on measurement and quantitative analysis and the visual display of their personal information. Students take on the role of the scientist in exploring their owngenomes and heritage.

ocus of my science and career and relevant to kids and their scholar, there are of course the ormation out academic papers s really important for scholarly nt to have an impact on people’s matters to them, then you need m in ways that make sense.”

“K

ids want information and they’re very naturally curious about what they see around them,” Jablonski said. “They want to know where they came from, and why they look the way they do. Using the tools of modern genomics and genealogical reconstruction, we can reconstruct some of this precious history, and help students answer the question, ‘Who Am I?’ Our hope is that this experience will ignite a spark of interest in science that will burn throughout their lives.

“

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For Jablonski, passing on this understanding of human skin color is what she hopes is a step toward greater understanding within humanity. “The educational aspect is the tangible result of my research,” says Jablonski. “Learning about science and our place in nature can actually help in making the world a better place. And the journey is what engages them the students. When students realize they can investigate themselves, it’s truly exciting for them.”

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D I

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THE DISCRIMINATION OF COLOUR Catergorised in different type of people in race, age, sex or disability.

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A FULL PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH

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SUDESH Indian Malanese

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Sudesh, image from his side view.

L: Thank you for your time to have me interview you. S: No problem.

L: Do you view skin colour largely associated with beauty? S: No, I don’t think so. I think skin colour should not be prejudiced not just ONLY beauty, should be for everyone to be proud of their skin colour.

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L: Beside than being prejudiced of not having fair skin, have you ever experienced discrimination? S: Thankfully so far throughout my life, I haven’t experience any discrimination, but even if I had face it, I would usually ignore it. But to others, it does really happen. There one I heard of there was a discrimination, here in Malaysia in renting situation.

L: Wha sort of discrimination have you heard or what are your thoughts? S: I do have one time, when...well I’m Indian but i was lucky I do not have very dark skinned-skin colour in Indian race, as for dark-skinned Indian, we always have this discrimination that we are violent, not nice friendly people even it not true, but I guess it because it been sort of the issue that not being solve for long time, that people still have that thoughts beside than Indian. Same goes also with Chinese & Malay, generally people do think they are really stuck up person, selfish even if it not true. I do say for this discrimination, it not consider a big issue, it more of small issue as we don’t really bring that topic up.

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L: I bet when back in the older days, when Malaysia used to be together by multiracially, but then nowsadays not many seen that much. S: I would say it due to politics, and yes you know Malaysia are really famous with politics drama. (laugh). Back then, me & my friends used to eat together as with mixed of races, doesnt matter if it Chinese, Indian or Malay. We were all together having yamcha time in mamak but now you don’t really see that much. Mostly, you always see them in group of each races.

L: Have you ever link with selfacceptance to your skin colour? Like does not having fair skin effect your self-esteem? S: Personally I don’t. But I do say even if it affected me, I would just ignore, because that what I usually do. Something not entirely important, I would just ignore.

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Perspective Studies

llustrations by Srishti Guptaroy for BRIGHT Magazine

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L: About your Indian race, was there in your family, relatives ever face discrimination even it is small to deal with? S: In my family, no we don’t have it really. But I do say in my Indian Malanese community, because I’m actually not pure Indian, I’m Indian Malanese so in Malanese, they do catergorised class based on skin colour. But it is in Indian Malanese country, not here in Malaysia.

L: Do you have relatives in India? Have you ever visit them or go to India before? I been known that Indian people there especially girls & women tend to wanting to fair skin as it is know as priviledge and can be successful. Is it true of this statement? S: I don’t have a relative in India, as they all are in Malaysia except one in Australia. For the India skin colour, part I would say yes it true, the India country there, there was alot of involvement in class issue or you can say colorism. Where if you are fair, you are consider at the higher state of class rank example like Punjabi, whereas if you are dark, you are consider lower in class rank. I would say there tend to be more severe in this discrimination issue than here in Malaysia, thankfully we really don’t have it much. Plus in India, with the media, advertisement...that keep promoting to have fair skin rather than accept your own skin colour & be proud with it.

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L: Do you think in the future, will this issue of skin colour, will be going on? S: It hard to say it will not, but it will still be going on.... I think this is one of the issue that can be hard to solve it, especially because it already influence alot especially in society, the past & the history so on. But if with positive mindset, hopefully this won’t be affected greatly in future and have a open mind set to it. It is hard to say, because in certain country, have different view on it but it depends whether they would see they use/ promote it as a negative statement or not. Even like in Western countries, you would think it over with this discrimination but it still going on with racism and, so as China, for women workforce determined by skin colour to be fairer, Korean favouring more to have plastic surgery so....it depends on the situation really.

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“Kalau keturunan kulit putih, untung dapat.”

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O H

G U

Short statement from Aunt, Kelantanese Malay.

Kulit putih - kulit cerah dan kulit bersih.

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CULTURAL PERCEPTION OF SKIN COLOUR culture of media, film & product view on skin colour.

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Facial skin color has been shown to influence perceived attractiveness and health. However, for the media in country of Asia, some of certain country such as India & Philiphines focus on the strong role of having fair skin is really valuable & priviledge whereas in Western, focusing more to have tan yet fresh face but somehow instill some colorism. In this chapter, will be discover the culture of between Asia & Western countries in terms of media, advertisement, product & film.

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MEDIA

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Asia VIEW

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n india, to be fair is a priviledged, as it being known to having catergorised alot in class. Especially in Mumbai north of Indian, the culture obsessed with fair skin, women in India have always been classified by the different shades of their skin – fair, dark, dusky, and the obnoxious “wheatish”. They also have a massive advertisement on the product called “Fair & Lovely”, where it’s a product to give your skin to be more fair & bright.

FAIR & LOVELY

t starts with grandma’s home-made remedies earmarked for fair skin, graduates to bullying on the basis of colour as the girl grows up, and then moves on to the matrimonial ad, written by her family according to her skin tone.

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China - ad.

Galle advertis shows vari on having fair

China - ad.

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China - ad.

ery of sement ious focus r skin better.

China - ad.

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A Brief History Of Filipinos’ Obsession

With White Skin

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everal Filipino movie stars, for example, are either born mestizos or became like one through the help of expensive bleaching procedures. Even the images of Jesus, Sto. Niño, and Mama Mary we worship every Sunday look like Caucasians. Needless to say, Filipinos worship those with milky white skin– literally and figuratively. But historically speaking, how did we end up with this distorted perception of beauty? Is this a sign of colonial mentality or an inferiority complex brought to us by our Spanish colonizers?

n the Philippines, having white skin gives a person unspeakable advantages. You will be admired by many, envied by some, and get the perks that those with brown skin tone could only wish for. Although most Filipinos are born with nut-brown skin, our society has taught us not to be proud of it. After all, our actions are shaped by the standards set by society and here in the Philippines, white is synonymous with beauty.

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From “white skin superiority” to “bronze skin phenomenon.”

F 58

ilipinos are not the only Asians obsessed with getting fairer skin. In China alone, skin whitening has been practiced since ancient times. As early as pre-Qin China, white skin was already associated with wealth while those who were lacking it–specifically the laborers who worked under the sun– were discriminated and even labeled as ‘blackheaded people.’ Ancient Chinese also considered white skin as a symbol of elegance and nobility. They used ‘white jade’ as a metaphor to describe fair skin and also concocted a saying–which persists up to this day– that goes ‘One whiteness can cover three kinds of ugliness.’ Such was their desperation that they were misled to take pearl powder mixed with hot water every day in hopes of improving the radiance of their skin. The same skin color hierarchy permeated the Western culture during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The superiority of white skin over slaves with darker skin tones was so prevalent that some aristocrats applied lead oxide powder to their faces just to set them apart from the working masses.

At that time, they also started to use “blue blood” (“dugong bughaw“) to refer to members of the aristocracy whose skins were so fair they made their blue veins extremely visible. Ironically, the white skin would start to become inferior to the bronze skin at the turn of the twentieth century. Westerners who used to put a high value on pale skin faced a major turning point: they now equate sun-tanned complexion with wealth, giving rise to the ‘bronze skin’ phenomenon. They believed that those with tanned skin could “afford expensive escapes to exotic, far-away places to indulge in sunworshiping.” While the value of pale skin had slowly diminished in the west, the superiority of white skin remained in Asian countries, specifically the Philippines.

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Products that Filipinos used, known as the “white bleaching” by using a iron oxide in order to become fair. These practice still happen till this day.

hen Spain invaded the Philippines, the colonizers brought with them the idea of skin color hierarchy. Dark skin was associated with poor laborers who had to work outside just to make ends meet. Those in the upper class, however, had lighter skin either because they’re mixed-race Filipinos or they’re wealthy enough to not work under the hot sun. In other words, it was the Spaniards who brought us the idea that our culture and natural skin color were inferior to theirs. Frantz Fanon, the author of “Black Skin, White Masks,” said that colonized people easily adopted the language and culture of the colonial power because in their souls was an inferiority complex that “has been created by the death and burial of its local cultural originality.” Ronald Hall also suggested that the ‘bleaching syndrome’ is the result of “the historic legacy of slavery and colonialism” which has led us “to valorize light skin tones and Anglo facial features.” It’s small wonder why Rizal introduced us to Doña Victorina, a fictional “social climber” in Noli Me Tangere who used excessive facial powder just to look more like Caucasian.

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Skin whitening: A fad or a social curse?

Another factor which led to our society favoring whiter skin is globalization. Scholar Koichi Iwabuchi believes globalization processes “have not simply furthered the spread of Americanized ‘global mass culture.’ They have also promoted the flow of intraregional media and popular culture within East and Southeast Asia. ….In this sense, they are neither “Asia” in any essentialist meaning nor second-rate copies of American originals.” This probably explains why most Filipinos today desire to get whiter skin, but not to look exactly like a Caucasian. In other words, we are already proud of our Asian features and all we want is to improve them. However, what most consider as ideal “Asian features”–i.e. fair skin, jetblack hair, almond-shaped eyes, etc.–were somewhat influenced by Western ideals as well. For example, most endorsers of skin whitening products in the Philippines are mixed-race Asians.

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ave not simply furthered the spread of Americanized ‘global mass culture.’ They have also promoted the flow of intraregional media and popular culture within East and Southeast Asia. ….In this sense, they are neither “Asia” in any essentialist meaning nor second-rate copies of American originals.” This probably explains why most Filipinos today desire to get whiter skin, but not to look exactly like a Caucasian. In other words, we are already proud of our Asian features and all we want is to improve them. However, what most consider as ideal.

“A

sian features”–i.e. fair skin, jet-black hair, almond-shaped eyes, etc.–were somewhat influenced by Western ideals as well. For example, most endorsers of skin whitening products in the Philippines are mixed-race Asians.However, what most consider as ideal “Asian features”–i.e. fair skin, jet-black hair, almond-shaped eyes, etc.–were somewhat influenced by Western ideals as well. For example, most endorsers of skin whitening products in the Philippines are mixed-race Asians.

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his is what author Evelyn Glenn describes as a “new kind of beauty” in her book “Shades of Difference: Why Skin Color Matters.” According to her, this kind of models allows “women in the Philippines to relate to her Asian face and at the same time aspire to her measure of whiteness.”

“Mixed race people have an international look, but can still be accepted as Filipinos…not exactly threatening but exotic enough for the everyday woman to identify with her.”

Looking back at the history of Filipinos’ obsession with whiter skin, one can only wonder if this attitude is too deeply ingrained in our culture that it can no longer be corrected. While there’s no definite answer, one thing that this phenomenon has proven is the idea of beauty may differ depending on where you are. Remember, whiter doesn’t always mean better. More often than not, the idea of “white is beauty” is not propagated to empower you, but to let skin whitening companies profit.

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FILM

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Dayang Senandung, filem - filem Klasik Melayu

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“Back in the days, the film was being mocked by the discrimination of the women potrayed as black in the film, but the intention of the director was wanting to portray being ugly but unaware of the situation of the black face that time. ”

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1965 THE STORY of Dayang Senandung

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Dato Haji Jamil Sulong The filmmaker

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he story of a princess who was sworn into the black since childhood. He is destined to marry a prince and lived in the palace. But disliked by her mother in law

ilm Dayang Senandong is a film Malay published in Malaysia in 1965. She Senandong movies published in the form of black and white film without color. Directed by Dato ‘ Haji Jamil Sulong n 1965. He directed based on the Malay folklore of Dayang Senandung.

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ells the story of a princess from Ratnapura who was born black as a result of being cursed by a black commoner. He was sentenced to death by the Sultan (played by Haji Mahadi ) as a result of being incited by slander from someone. Although the person who spread slander was also sentenced to death, the curse of the persecuted victim to the Sultan against his descendants was a prayer answered before he met his death. On the advice of a palace astrologer (played by Ahmad Nisfu) suggested that the princess’s curse could be removed conditionally whereby the princess should be separated from the royal family in perpetuity. With these instructions, the Sultan also wanted to move out of the palace and become a commoner so that he could see his son grow up before his eyes.

Regardless, this film receives alot of backlashes due to the actress portrayed of being dark. However, the producer aim to create the film based on the malay folklore represent of “the princess got cursed of being dark”.

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The whole simple view of the film is that the story is meant to teach the value of looking beyond a person’s appearance. It also has the standard fairy tale theme of the good-hearted girl getting her “happily ever after” ending. Even the prince fall in love of her due to the pure inner character despite her looks.

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Watson Advertisement. By Benjamin Cher-June 8, 2017

WATSON MALAYSIA SLAMMED AFTER USING “BLACKFACE” IN AD TELLING THE STORY OF DAYANG SENANDONG. DUE TO BEING SLAMMED, WATSON RELEASED AN APOLOGY STATEMENT.

The ad, which has been pulled, featured a number of Malaysian celebrities, and tells of the Malay folklore, Dayang Senandong. The ad shows princesses and beauties trying to win the heart of a rich merchant. Dayand Senandong is a Malay folklore about a lady cursed with black skin and a beautiful voice, which led a king to fall in love with her. The curse of the black skin was only broken after Dayang Senandong gave birth to the king’s child.

“Watson Malaysia has apologised for the ad with a statement, “We stand firm on the belief that unity and fairness plays an important role, and we respect people from all nationalities. The video was shot to highlight the Legend and its moral values of inner beauty and that true love exists. We are sorry that some of our fans feel offended by the video which was not our intention.”

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VIEW FROM TWITTER KNOWN @uglyluhan, shared his views. His content mainly focus on Asian folklore, cultures, communities, politics, and history with a focus on Malaysia.

“Had comment an interesting theory on controversy of the Watson AD. A few years ago, Watson’s ran a long ad based on the same story, garnering its own share of controversy despite not being much different from the typical whitening cream commercial. However, Dayang Senandong is a product of its time. A time when dark skin was associated with poverty and fair skin with affluence. People didn’t dislike dark skin due to racism, but colourism.”

“What lessons are there to be learned from this story? We’re already living on a continent where dark skin is hated. Where references to blackness are used as a common slur”.

“Many Asians try to defend the trend for light skin as not being racist but just a local beauty preference. After all, fairness was considered beautiful even in medieval Europe. Snow White was given that name because of her “skin as white as snow”

IN THE END, THE FILM OF DAYANG SENANDUNG WAS NOT INTENTED TO MAKE IT AS A RACIST FILM TO THE BLACK PEOPLE. IT WAS AIMING TO TELL THE STORY THROUGH THE MALAY FOLKLORE BUT THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE THESE DAYS, TAKE IT AS A WRONG TURN OF PORTRAYING THE FILM. THE ISSUE THIS RISES, WAS PEOPLE HAD DIFFERENT OPINION BASED ON THE COUNTRY, SOCIETY & CULTURE VIEW.

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PRODUCT

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WESTERN

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lackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-black performers to portray a caricature of a black person. Blackface makeup may also be worn as part of folk play or for disguising, rather than as a racial stereotype of black people.

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CLASHED WITH AMERICAN VERSION OF BLACKFACE

n the United States the practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereotypes such as the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon”. By the middle of the century, blackface minstrel shows had become a distinctive American artform, translating formal works such as opera into popular terms for a general audience. Early in the 20th century, blackface branched off from the minstrel show and became a form in its own right.

In the United States, blackface declined in popularity beginning in the 1940s and into the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, generally considered highly offensive, disrespectful, and racist by the turn of the 21st century, though the practice (or similar-looking ones) continues in other countries.

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GOLLI WOG

FAMOUS THE

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he golliwog, golliwogg or golly is a doll-like character – created by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton – that appeared in children’s books in the late 19th century, usually depicted as a type of rag doll. It was reproduced, both by commercial and hobby toy-makers, as a children’s toy called the “golliwog”, a portmanteau of golly and polliwog, and had great popularity in the UK and Australia into the 1970s. The doll is characterised by jet black skin, eyes rimmed in white, exaggerated red lips and frizzy hair, a blackface minstrel tradition. 83

he doll is widely recognized as racist. While some people see the doll as an innocuous toy associated with childhood, it is considered by others as a racist caricature of black Africans alongside pickaninnies, minstrels, and mammy figures. The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia described the golliwog as “the least known of the major anti-Black caricatures in the United States”. Changing political attitudes with regard to race have reduced the popularity and sales of golliwogs as toys.

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The Golliwog was created during a racist era. He was drawn as a caricature of a minstrel -- which itself represented a demeaning image of blacks. Certainly later Golliwogs often reflected negative beliefs about blacks -- thieves, miscreants, incompetents.

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anufacturers who have used golliwogs as a motif (e.g. Robertson’s marmalade in the UK) have either withdrawn them as an icon or changed the name. In particular, the use of alternative names such as “golly” and “golly doll” has risen due to association with the pejorative term “wog”, which many dictionaries say probably derived from the golliwog. In March 2007, Greater Manchester police seized two golliwogs from a shop after a complaint that the dolls were offensive.[18] In September 2008, a woman from Stockport claimed she was arrested for keeping a “golly doll” in her window. Greater Manchester Police denied this and said she was arrested after a series of complaints of alleged racially aggravated behaviour were made against her.

UNITED KINGDOM

n December 2013, a councillor in Brighton was forced to apologise for stating to a newspaper reporter that golliwogs were not racist. Cllr Dawn Barnett was defending a local shop which was selling golliwog drinks mats. She stated, “I said I can see no harm in them. They are nostalgic, I’m 72 years old. My generation grew up with them.” Bert Williams, speaking on behalf of Brighton and Hove Black History Group, said the word “golliwog” was historically used to tease black people, of which he had personal experience. In April 2018, a man was fined £250 plus £85 costs for displaying a golliwog in a window opposite two Indian restaurants. He pleaded guilty to “displaying it with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress and that the offence was racially aggravated.”

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AUSTRALIA

n 1 December 2016, Australian Aboriginal activist, author and filmmaker Stephen Hagan caused a national controversy[28] when he labelled Toowoomba the “most racist city in Australia”after a display of nine golliwog dolls were placed by Terry White Chemists underneath a sign[30] inviting shoppers to “Experience a White Christmas”. Terry White Chemists banned the sale of the doll in any franchise afterwards.

NEW ZEALAND

n 22 March 2021, the Gollyville quilt of a Whakatāne artist Barbara Key was removed from the Art House’s Carving Symposium and Art Exhibition due to a visitor finding the quilt to be offensive.

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The golliwog doll became a popular children’s toy tha even incorporated in the classical music culture.

Few Enid Blyton’s books feature golliwog, sometimes as heroes but often as a villain or as naughty individuals.

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For Upton’s Golliwog, they could be potrayed as jovial, friendly & gallant.

Golliwog also involved in the Britain war poster as an attraction to recruit.

Living In Colour

ASIA

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Laily Thomas

JAPAN

Living In Colour

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

TOKYO (dpa) - Dakko-chan (Hugging Baby), which was once Japan’s most popular doll in 1960s, will be back to the Japanese market this spring, after much criticism about the controversial doll.

“Dakko Chan”

Vintage Winky 1960s Inflatable Doll Black Americana Takara of Japan Dakko Chan

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“We of the younger generation are outcasts from politics and society. In a way we are like Negroes, who have a long record of oppression and misunderstanding, and we feel akin to them.”

“Yasuta Sato”

Founder of Takara company & The creator of Dakko Chan.

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

ince going on sale in July 1960, the doll has been selling well with young women who wear a Dakocan on their arm when they go for a walk. The trend of putting a doll on the arm by a young woman in Japan was covered by the mass media who called the toy Dakocan. After being reported on television, this toy was selling so well that toy stores and convenience stores ran out of stock and factories were unable to fulfill orders. Convenience stores are forced to distribute queue tickets to prospective buyers which are then sold by brokers. By the end of 1960, Dakocan had sold more than 2,400,000 copies.

hen it is popular, producers cannot meet market demand. Dakocan is easy to make so that the market is full of counterfeit goods. The distinctive feature of real Dakocan is the eyes of a special sticker that seem to blink when viewed from a certain angle of observation, while the fake Dakocan eyes cannot blink. Thanks to a flood of counterfeits, Dakocan became a toy that represented the decade of the 1960s.

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akara later changed the design of Dakocan, and used a new slogan for Dakocan in television commercials. Not only plastic dolls filled with air, these toys are also made in various types of products. Dakocan’s popularity quickly subsided, and production was stopped. In 1975, Dakocan produced a reprint edition to commemorate Takara’s 20th anniversary.

round 1988, the stereotypical depiction of blacks in anime and manga was seen as a form of discrimination so publishers had to recall their products. Dakocan designs and colors were also changed before finally production was stopped again. The Dakocan image used as the Takara company logo has also been deprecated since 1990. After changing colors, Dakocan was produced in 1997 by a Takara subsidiary. The resale was halted after Dakocan’s knit skirt and lips were criticized as a form of discrimination against blacks.

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

Mascot character of Dakko Chan.

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Japanese edition of Little Black Sambo, the use of caricature in the logo of popular Japanese soft drink Calpis-The publication “Tezuka Osamu Manga Zenshu”, a 300-volume complete edition of Tezuka’s works

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Galle photogr 58 Japanes Dakko

Perspective Studies

ery of raphy of se with Chan.

Laily Thomas

Living In Colour

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

ENCOUNTER WITH DIFFERENCES Why we are different?

Perspective Studies

Living In Colour

The world of people from their own perspectives.

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

Living In Colour

Collection from people We keep saying things like, ‘ Uska rang saaf hai’ as if dark skin is a dirty thing.This mindset is then propagated in our songs, stories and movies. -- Nandita Das, actress.

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“Do not look for validation from others. Do not apologise for your skin color. Teach your sons and daughters to be more sensitive. Celebrate Every Shade of Beautiful.” -- Vishakha Singh, actress, producet, entrepreneur..

“I’m a light-skinned Chinese woman, and my fair skin is often the first thing people see about me. Whether in a job interview or on a first date, I experience something called “color privilege,” wherein I’m more likely to be afforded the benefits of being coded by others as white or white-passing than darker-skinned members of my race.” In places like Asia, colorism exists more as a status symbol than a racial one. Pale skin was seen in ancient China as a signifier of being able to stay indoors during the daytime rather than being outside working, and a pale complexion became synonymous with nobility and wealth in Chinese culture. The paler you are in most of Asia, the more socieconomic currency is afforded to you based off of your looks. So don’t tell me that I’m beautiful because I don’t look like other Chinese people, and don’t tell her that she should look more like me. Instead, get to know us. We’re more than just what you can see. -- Rae Chen, Teen Vogue.

Perspective Studies

Thoughts from all around the world

Laily Thomas

We keep “Growing up in the Philippines, a country notoriously known for worshiping the ‘whites,’ I lived and breathed skin-whitening products. Literally all the products that touched my skin had to have whitening components. I’ve even tried taking glutathione (pills) and did skin peeling.” -- Melanie Mondigo,Houston based fashion micro influencer.

“Power and privilege in the Philippines has a particular look. ... There is an overrepresentation of lighter-skinned people in these arenas, and it perpetuates the idea that those who are not light are not worthy or do not belong in those spaces.” -- Joanne L. Rondilla, Assistant Profressor Of Sociology And Asian American Studies At San Jose State University. “People are more critical towards whitening products today because they believe it’s unrealistic,” the 27-year-old said. “Perhaps the products do make you appear fairer but it doesn’t look natural at all.” “Besides, more people are aware that some whitening products would use dangerous and abrasive ingredients, which can be bad for one’s skin,” she added. “Right now, in Southeast Asia and even the world, we have started to recognize that your skin color doesn’t define you, your actions do.” -- Sakinah Maharani, makeup artist, Malaysian.

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“Beauty is more than just one’s physical appearance. I think ads like ‘Fair and Lovely’ have unwittingly sent us a message that being fair is the norm,” the content creator said. “This can make people who are not naturally fair feel alienated and compelled to buy whitening products.” “I find that I am more confident when I have fair skin. My skin doesn’t appear dull and I feel confident enough to speak to people.” -- Farah Nurdiana, Malaysian.

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LIVING IN COLOUR The new beginning of all.

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“

hat I can conclude what I found is that skin colour does not represent your true identity, skin colour is not the main to be judged regardless with politics, race or religion. We are all the same, we are together living in this planet. I hope this publication brings an enlightment that each skin colour can somehow represents of how people see and judge apperances.

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CREDITS

links, books, journal, article that had been used in this publication.

Perspective Studies

Laily Thomas

CREDITS

Listed every journal, article, video, & news. Credited to all who contributed to this publication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface https://books.google.com.my/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1r-mrJcevfYC&oi=fnd&pg=PT5&dq=color+skin+of+woman+in+Asia+films&ots=47SWlm0-Kn&sig=Cjr4XzjponvosBx_d0NTx8aLfSE&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9781848885455/BP000008. xml https://brightthemag.com/fair-but-not-so-lovely-indias-obsession-with-skin-whitening-beauty-body-image-bleaching4d6ba9c9743d https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2184747/ asias-addiction-whiter-skin-runs-deep-backlash-has-begun https://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/03/131265/our-obsessionfair-skin https://www.psu.edu/impact/story/the-evolution-of-skin-color/ https://www.ted.com/talks/nina_jablonski_skin_color_is_an_ illusion/transcript?language=en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin_color https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filem_Dayang_Senandong https://filipiknow.net/filipino-obsession-white-skin/ https://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/06/08/watsons-malaysia-slammed-after-using-blackface-ad-telling-the-storydayang-senandong https://twitter.com/uglyluhan/status/1273946368491413512 https://www.psu.edu/impact/story/the-evolution-of-skin-color/ https://brightthemag.com/fair-but-not-so-lovely-indias-obsession-with-skin-whitening-beauty-body-image-bleaching4d6ba9c9743d

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Living In Colour

CREDITS

Listed every journal, article, video, & news. Credited to all who contributed to this publication.

https://www.wikiwand.com/id/Dakocan https://www.teenvogue.com/story/pretty-privilege-and-colorismas-a-fair-skinned-chinese-woman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golliwog#:~:text=The%20golliwog%2C%20golliwogg%20or%20golly,a%20type%20of%20rag%20 doll. https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/ https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/sep/04/dark-isbeautiful-battle-to-end-worlds-obsession-with-lighter-skin https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/ https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2014/britains-golly-problem/ 112

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9781848885455/BP000008. xml https://brightthemag.com/fair-but-not-so-lovely-indias-obsession-with-skin-whitening-beauty-body-image-bleaching4d6ba9c9743d https://coconuts.co/kl/features/in-a-country-obsessed-withfair-skin-malaysias-brown-women-are-finally-in-the-spotlight/ https://www.ted.com/talks/nina_jablonski_skin_color_is_an_ illusion/transcript?language=en https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01352/ full

The end.