By now, many will have seen the BBC Africa Eye x BBC Eye Investigations documentary 'Racism For Sale': In February 2020, a shocking video began to circulate on Chinese social media. A group of African children are being instructed, by a voice off-camera, to chant phrases in Chinese. The kids repeat the words with smiles and enthusiasm — but they don’t understand that what they’re being told to say is “I am a black monster and my IQ is low.” The clip ignited outrage in China and beyond.
But no one ever answered the crucial questions: Why was this filmed? Where was it shot? Who made it? These questions send #BBCAfricaEye and #BBCEyeInvestigations reporters Runako Celina and Henry Mhango on a journey into a Chinese video-making industry that exploits vulnerable children across the continent.
Today, we bring you the podcast episode recorded as part of the documentary which takes a deeper look at the industry, the beliefs that underpin it, and our own personal reflections on Blackness in China.
Note: There were some technical difficulties that have contributed to sound issues during parts of this episode - we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.
Watch the documentary Racism for Sale here
Recommended reading:
- “Anti-Blackness” in Chinese Racial-Nationalism: Sex/Gender, Reproduction, and Metaphors of Pathology, by the exceptional Kun Huang. Kun Huang is a PhD candidate of Comparative Literature at Cornell University
China, We Have a (Racist) Problem, JACKYNICOLE EYOCKO
China's Second Continent, Howard French
Recommended watch:
Racist Chinese Calls Africans N-Word With Low IQ!
With thanks to our guests
Credits:
Executive Producer, Editor - Runako Celina
Producer - Inés Forman,