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Blackpool Council forced to defend ‘racist’ Blackpool Illuminations light display
‘Such illuminations do little to promote Blackpool as a welcoming community. Instead, it paints Blackpool as a community that supports racism and discrimination.’
Blackpool Council has defended a Blackpool Illuminations light display after it was slammed as ‘racist’ and ‘discriminatory’ by a Native American living in the UK.
The light display in question, located north of Blackpool Promenade near the junction of Cavendish Road, depicts six axe-wielding Native Americans in war bonnets dancing around a totem pole, something that reinforces racial stereotypes according to a member of the Chickasaw Nation.
In a letter obtained by The Blackpool Gazette, the man wrote: “Caricatures such as these reinforce racial stereotypes of Native Americans as being primitive people who have no place in modern society.
“Research has shown that caricatures like these have harmed Native youth by lowering self-esteem and increasing depression and rates of self-harm and substance abuse. It has also increased discrimination against Native students.”
He went on to state that the lights ‘do little to promote Blackpool as a welcoming community’ and instead paints the town as a community that supports racism and discrimination.
He continued: “It doesn’t reflect the difficult conversations and changing societal values on race that we’ve seen since the Black Lives Matter protests that sparked your resolution. Worse still, these illuminations are seen by hundreds of thousands of people each year, which means that they spread stereotypes to other communities in the UK and beyond.”
A Blackpool Council spokesperson has since responded to the letter by noting that the lights were ‘designed and created many years ago and intended to be a celebration of different cultures’ – but added that their continued use in upcoming years would be addressed.
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The spokesperson said: “Our officers have been in constructive discussion with two people of Native American origin who raised concerns about the tableau.
“We have explained the background to the historic elements of the Illuminations display and assured them that these were designed and created many years ago and intended to be a celebration of different cultures. Both have accepted that assurance.
“The Illuminations are one of the UK’s most enduring family attractions and we would never do anything intended to cause offence. We will, as a matter of course, take on board the comments received and review which features are appropriate for inclusion in next year’s display.
“We have also agreed to explore options for a new tableau that celebrates native American culture with input from the network based in the UK.”