Molliwog

This example of a hand-knitted girl Golliwog or Molliwog was purchased at the Home of Compassion gala in Whanganui, in about 1970. Sue, who donated the doll in 2015, was about 8 or 9 years old when she purchased it. Like thousands of knitted toys and dolls it was probably made by a dedicated volunteer in the local community.

The doll is based on a fictional black character created by Florence Kate Upton in her 1895 book The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg. Golliwogs were a popular children’s toy in New Zealand as elsewhere in the first half of the twentieth century, but by the late twentieth century were increasingly seen as symbols of racial insensitivity.
 
Upton’s character was drawn as a caricature of a black-faced minstrel – which itself represented a demeaning image of Black people – and her books reinforced racist stereotypes (Pilgrim 2012). Later depictions of golliwogs often reflected negative and deeply offensive attitudes about people of African descent.
 
Many New Zealanders fondly remember playing with golliwogs as children and some people still defend their right to make and sell them. However, while they were once considered acceptable many people now regard golliwogs as offensive because they perpetuate the sorts of stereotypes that underpin racism. 
 
References

• Human Rights Commission. n.d. What is wrong with golliwogs and blackface? Frequently Asked Questions. Human Rights Commission website. https://tikatangata.org.nz/resources-and-support/frequently-asked-questions#what-is-wrong-with-golliwogs-and-blackface 
• Pilgrim, David. 2012. The Golliwog Caricature. Ferris State University. Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/
• Veart, David. 2014. Hello Boys & Girls! A New Zealand Toy Story. Auckland: Auckland University Press.