Ahh, it’s happened again, the Spanish have come under fire for racist behavior at sporting events, and are totally confused by the world’s reaction.
In a nutshell, some Spanish Formula 1 fans decked out in ‘fro wigs and blackface, uh-huh, blackface, were in the crowd heckling black British driver, Lewis Hamilton.
The reason it’s interesting is that the Spanish fans in question adamantly insist they’re not being racist. I know, sounds absurd, it’s blackface for Christ’s sake! But no, Toni Calderon, one of the fans in question, quoted in The Independent insists:
We went last Sunday and we dressed up to celebrate Carnival. We wanted to give a touch of humour to Montmelo and have a laugh at the father of [Lewis] Hamilton. We didn’t have the slightest intention to laugh at anyone, nor to laugh at the British driver for the colour of his skin. I am not a racist and it has made me ashamed to appear like that in the British press. Also, as I am in the middle of the photo [of four blacked up fans], I seem like the protagonist. This has angered me.
Poor thing. Well, this is not the first time Spaniards have been confused by accusations of racism at sporting events. Four years ago there was an international friendly here in Madrid against the English team. The next day it was all over the British press that the crowd of Spanish fans were making monkey noises every time a black English player got the ball. I had a few Irish friends who were at the game, and said that, seated in the midst of a large group of Spaniards they were shocked to see little kids joining their parents in the taunts, and generally felt embarrassed and hoped the stadium would open up and swallow them.
And what did the Spanish press have to say about that incident? Nothing really. It wasn’t news. And in talking to some of the Spaniards at the bar I was then working at, the Spanish response was the same as it is this time, What racism? That Guardian article sums up the feeling nicely.
Is Spanish racism so ingrained that they’re blind to it, or are they really just innocently heckling? The BBC has an interesting article on how it’s just part of Spanish sports culture. But man, and I hate to say it, it does make them look like a backwater. It’s hardly confined to Spain though, I did once know an Italian who thought nothing at all of making monkey noises at the TV when black players on his own team came on the screen. Baffling.
Sometimes the world feels like a “pañeulo” and sometimes the gulfs waiting to swallow up cross-cultural understanding appear vast. This is one of those times. I love this country, but sometimes, it leaves me mystified.
The Guiri Dispatches 
February 9, 2008 at 10:49 am
hola karina,
qué tal? Está muy bien el blog, de dónde sacas las fotos? Necesitas algún permiso para colgarlas? Che, deberías rellenar la parte de “about” y explicar quien sos y el por qué de este blog….
beso grande, hablamos cuando quieras para ir al patio. Llamáme y vamos. Besitos, suerte, Marion
February 9, 2008 at 12:25 pm
One of the first steps in fighting racism is to accept it exists. There has always been racism (and anti-semitism) in Spain – but if there are few blacks and Jews around, it is simply less noticeable. Racism is being actively fueled by PP leaders, in a disgusting attempt to get a few more votes – the declarations we have been hearing about immigrants from PP ranks boggle the mind. The response to these incidents, and declarations has not been strong enough- perhaps an organization like SOS Racisme in France would help. In any event, so very many Spaniards are absolutely INDIGNANT over these declarations, that an anti-PP backlash COULD help Zapatero in the elections. But I would like to see an SOS Racisme-type organization created.
February 9, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Hi Isabelle,
I totally agree that as, with so many problems, denial of it’s existence is the first hurdle.
You mentioned SOS Racisme in Framce, and I thought I had seen in one of the articles on this incident an interview with someone from SOS Racismo here in Spain. I did a quick search and there is a group here in Madrid
http://www.sosracismomadrid.es/
Perhaps though, it’s just not gotten quite as big and effective as in France, which also has a much longer history with dealing with racism (and immigration) than Spain does.
Nice to know this group is here though, let’s hope they go on to do great things.
February 9, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Hey Karina,
A thing about the blackface. Blackface, at least amongst whites, doesn’t at all have as strong of a negative connotation in many European countries as it does in the U.S. In Holland for example Santa has blackface helpers in stead of elves. (I asssume you are aware of this tradition, find more here: http://maarten.lippmann.us/?p=45 .) Most native Dutch people would defend this as an innocent tradition, and feel like the association with racism is ridiculous. This is more out of ignorance than a direct denial of racism. It seems like Toni calderon was also just ignorant. He should have known better, but doesn’t know any black people (or has friends that know black people) to tell him this would probably be in very bad taste.
February 9, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Maarten,
I think you make a really valid point, many manifestations of racism or xenophobia (like blackface, but also, for example, imitating asian people by making your eyes squinty or falling into really lame cultural stereotypes) are often not seen as offensively as they are in the U.S.
Case in point, I remember my first carnival in Cadiz when I was a student in Córdoba, I was aghast at how many people wer in black face and ‘fro wigs, thinking “black people” was a good choice of a costume, or who wore ponchos and giant mexican sombreros while swiggin’ from a tequila bottle to dress up as a “Mexican.” It was just their idea of a funny costume, but, as you say, that’s probably because they had no black or Mexican friends to set them straight.
July 22, 2011 at 7:17 am
three years later I know, but I just felt like I needed to tell you. you really need to open your mind and try seeing the world from different perspectives (stop looking for the bad things cause if you do that’s the only things you’ll find), if you’re going to live in spain you’ve got to have at least a bit of humour, seriously, you clearly seem to have a problem trying to find issues where there aren’t any, they’re just having a good time, I really don’t see what’s wrong about wearing stereotypical costumes, saying that it’s racist it’s just ridiculous it would be like saying that to wear a white blanket as a ghostly costume is to ridicule and be racist towards spirits…hmm? see my point? that’s just stupid in my opinion but you are obiously obssesed with it, nonethless you should never generalize, saying that spanish people are racist means all of us not just some inmature and probably not very well educated ones. choose your words wisely and don’t be judging other people so much, I bet you’re not even close to perfect either.
February 11, 2008 at 10:17 am
I agree with maarten: I am only now aware of the racist connotations of many symbols we see here in Spain without even thinking. Take a look at the following show http://www.servicaixa.com/nws/servlet/serviticket.sis.servlets.hSrvRecinteEvent;jsessionid=Hwp83lN0yq27tTNbGCdGGVY2n5plKZz1GL0pZdVnpCCpDm9XTbdy!1363894838!NONE?codRecinte=09KS&codEvent=B307P&codTipusEvent=2&idioma=CAS by La Cubana. In Barcelona we’ve had the streets filled with posters with the full picture (on the link you can only see half of it) and nobody seemed to care. Are Conguitos a form of racism?
So are we racist? Of course. But I don’t think that is a representation of that racism –it’s like mentioning to us things like watermelon and cotton: those have racist connotations on the USA, not here.
Finally, making monkey sounds on stadiums is really racist and there is no excuse for that one –they know it, we’ve told them a million times. Ask Etoo.
February 11, 2008 at 11:26 am
You can’t find a solution for this while the spanish people keeps on denying the problem. Take Eto’o for example, he was one of the first soccer players that complained about the treatment that black players were getting from the crowd and even the press crucified him for it making him look like he was the one that was provoking the crowd.
First they have to be aware of the problem, then work in a solution. But, how will they become aware of it when you hear such ignorant and racist declarations from one of the countrie’s main parties like last week’s speech from Partido Popular?
February 11, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Also see
They want you to integrate: but they also want to exclude you.
February 26, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Racism? In Spain? Naaaaaah!!I just stumbled on your blog as I was doing what has now become an obsession, trying to find a legal team in Spain willing to take on a case of racial/gender discrimination…wait for this, by my husband of 16yrs who happens to be Spanish and his entire family. As you must have guessed, yes…I am ‘una negra desgraciada’ as he calls me. It has taken me 16yrs to finally realise ‘que soy una negra desgraciada’! It is a very interesting story if you’d like to hear it just as long as you promise to publish it…..no kidding! By the way, I live in Scotland…not by choice…had to flee! I truly believe racism is so ingrained that they just take it as the norm…it’s a national sport! Keep the blog going, it is inspirational! By the way, if you know any good lawyers in Spain, do pass on the info…..not sosracismo…I already sent them a letter!