New 'Day of the Dead' Barbie reignites debate over cultural appropriation
A new Day of the Dead Barbie is reigniting arguments over whether the Mexican-themed doll is a tasteful ode to the country’s traditions, or a cheap commercial grab.
© Provided by National Post View of two Catrina Barbie dolls at the Museum of the Old Mexican Toy in Mexico City on October 20, 2020. PHOTO BY ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP.
Conversation began last year with the first entry in the “La Catrina” series . Now, the debate is bubbling back to the surface, with the release of the second instalment.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated in Mexican where families gather to remember those who have died. The multi-day holiday begins in early November and is marked by visits to graveyards — not in mourning, but in celebration.
In 2019, toy company Mattel began its “La Catrina” collection of Barbies, named for the decorated skeletons created by Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada. Barbie is dressed in frilly white and pink lace, her face painted to look like a skeleton in the “calavera” or “skull” style. The doll also bears a slight resemblance to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.
With the dolls listed at $75 USD on the Barbie site, the collection is aimed at adult collectors rather than children.
Conversation began last year with the first entry in the “La Catrina” series . Now, the debate is bubbling back to the surface, with the release of the second instalment.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated in Mexican where families gather to remember those who have died. The multi-day holiday begins in early November and is marked by visits to graveyards — not in mourning, but in celebration.
In 2019, toy company Mattel began its “La Catrina” collection of Barbies, named for the decorated skeletons created by Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada. Barbie is dressed in frilly white and pink lace, her face painted to look like a skeleton in the “calavera” or “skull” style. The doll also bears a slight resemblance to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.
With the dolls listed at $75 USD on the Barbie site, the collection is aimed at adult collectors rather than children.
Mexican doll collector Carlos Sandoval poses with two Catrina Barbie dolls at the Museum of the Old Mexican Toy in Mexico City on October 20, 2020.
PHOTO BY ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP.
The doll was created by Mexican-American designer, Javier Meabe. According to the U.S. toy manufacturer , the Dia de Muertos doll “honors the traditions, symbols and rituals” of the Mexican holiday.
“My hope for these dolls is that they’re able to bring more awareness to the Dia de Muertos celebration,” Meabe told CNN . “I am beyond grateful that Barbie is now celebrating traditions and cultures that mean so much to so many people.”
The doll was created by Mexican-American designer, Javier Meabe. According to the U.S. toy manufacturer , the Dia de Muertos doll “honors the traditions, symbols and rituals” of the Mexican holiday.
“My hope for these dolls is that they’re able to bring more awareness to the Dia de Muertos celebration,” Meabe told CNN . “I am beyond grateful that Barbie is now celebrating traditions and cultures that mean so much to so many people.”
Others, though, see it differently, with experts and social media users accusing the toy company of cultural appropriation.
“The cultural, hereditary and symbolic importance that this holiday has for Mexico opens up in the eyes of the market opportunities that are exploited by these firms,” sociologist Roberto Alvarez told AFP . The Day of the Dead “should be a solemn subject,” he said.
The release of Disney’s animated feature Coco in 2017 marked another instance of a U.S. company commercialized Mexican heritage, with Disney facing an initial backlash after Disney attempted to patent the words “Día de los Muertos.”
Other U.S. brands have also bought into the hybridized Mexico-American culture. The “Catrina” Minnie Mouse and a Nike Day of the Dead collection both similarly commercialize the holiday
“The cultural, hereditary and symbolic importance that this holiday has for Mexico opens up in the eyes of the market opportunities that are exploited by these firms,” sociologist Roberto Alvarez told AFP . The Day of the Dead “should be a solemn subject,” he said.
The release of Disney’s animated feature Coco in 2017 marked another instance of a U.S. company commercialized Mexican heritage, with Disney facing an initial backlash after Disney attempted to patent the words “Día de los Muertos.”
Other U.S. brands have also bought into the hybridized Mexico-American culture. The “Catrina” Minnie Mouse and a Nike Day of the Dead collection both similarly commercialize the holiday
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