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Bongo Bongo Land

March 08, 2023

In British English, Bongo Bongo Land (or Bongo-bongo Land) is a pejorative term used to refer to Third World countries, particularly in Africa, or to a fictional such country.

Possible origins

The origin of the term is unclear but it may come from one or both of the following:

There is a reference to "Bongoland" in the English translation by Ellen Elizabeth Frewer of a book originally in German by Georg August Schweinfurth, published in 1874 in English as The Heart of Africa.[2] Schweinfurth locates it as lying between 6-8 degrees North and in the south-western region of the Bahr-el-Ghazal (South Sudan). The Belgian explorer Adolphe de Calonne-Beaufaict also refers to the 'Bongo of the Bahr-el-Ghazal' in his 1921 study of the Azande.[3] The English anthropologist Evans-Pritchard published a useful description of the Bongo in 1929,[4] in which he pointed out how their way of life was systematically destroyed by the Arab slave and ivory traders from the North.

The 1947 song "Civilization" by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman, recorded by various artists, contained the line "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo, I Don't Want to Leave the Congo". A variation of this was adopted for a poster produced by the fascist Union Movement bearing the chant "Bongo, bongo, whites aren't going to leave the Congo".[5] In the 1970s, the cinema advertisement for Silk Cut cigarettes parodying the 1964 film Zulu was supposedly set in "Mbongoland".

The word "bongo" is also the slang nickname of the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, and the kind of music which originated from Dar es Salaam is called "Bongo Flava", a slang version of the phrase "bongo flavour". Also, some Tanzanian films are known as "bongo films".[6]

Controversies

The term has featured in political controversies. In 1985, Alan Clark, while Conservative Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton, once, in a departmental meeting, allegedly referred to Africa as "Bongo Bongo Land".[7][8] When called to account, however, Clark denied the comment had any racist overtones, saying it had simply been a reference to the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo.[9]

In 2004, Taki Theodoracopulos called Kenya "bongo-bongo land" in his Spectator column. The Guardian later criticized his use of "offensive and outdated stereotypes".[10]

In July 2013, Godfrey Bloom, Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), was filmed referring to countries which receive overseas aid from the United Kingdom as "Bongo Bongo Land".[11] UKIP later banned use of the term, A spokesperson from Show Racism the Red Card stated that Bloom's remarks were "crude stereotypes that see Britain as a civilised place and overseas as tribal".[12] Matthew d'Ancona wrote in The Daily Telegraph: "There may indeed be some who inwardly cheered Bloom’s choice of words. But there will be many – including, crucially, some who agree with his position on aid – who felt queasy at the use of such antediluvian language."[13]

In 2019, the MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi asked the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to apologise for his use of derogatory terms to describe immigrants, citing "towel-head, or Taliban, or coming from bongo-bongo land" as examples of such insults which minority communities receive; though not necessarily ascribing these terms to Johnson, the speech was made in relation to other comments made by him.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Room, Adrian (2006). Nicknames of places: Origins and meanings of the alternate and secondary names, sobriquets, titles, epithets and slogans for 4600 places worldwide. McFarland & Company. Bongo Bongo Land.
  2. ^ Schweinfurth, Georg August; Frewer, Ellen Elizabeth (3 February 1874). "The heart of Africa". New York : Harper & brothers – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ de Calonne-Beaufaict, A. Azande, Bruxelles,Instituts Solvay
  4. ^ E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 'The Bongo'. Sudan Notes and Records. Vol. 12. Part 1. 1929.
  5. ^ Prison Sentence And Fines In Ritz Hotel Case Defence Speaks Of "An Awful Error" (Law) The Times Saturday, Aug 13, 1960; pg. 4; Issue 54849; col F
  6. ^ "Kanumba funeral: Thousands mourn Tanzanian actor". BBC News. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  7. ^ Hughes, Geoffrey (2011). Political Correctness: A History of Semantics and Culture. ISBN 9781444360295.
  8. ^ 7 February 1985 "Tory minister faces row over race remark" Financial Times
  9. ^ Clark, A. The Last Diaries: In and Out of the Wilderness, Phoenix, 2003, p. 219.
  10. ^ "Boris Johnson: Selective spectator". The Guardian. 21 October 2004.
  11. ^ Mason, Rowena (6 August 2013). "Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom criticises aid to 'bongo bongo land'". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  12. ^ "The other meaning of Bongoland". BBC News. 8 August 2013.
  13. ^ d’Ancona, Matthew (10 August 2013). "Take note, Ukip: political discourse isn't a free-for-all" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  14. ^ "Boris Johnson urged to apologise for 'derogatory and racist' letterboxes article". The Guardian. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2021.

March 08, 2023
bongo, bongo, land, british, english, bongo, bongo, land, pejorative, term, used, refer, third, world, countries, particularly, africa, fictional, such, country, contents, possible, origins, controversies, also, referencespossible, origins, editthe, origin, te. In British English Bongo Bongo Land or Bongo bongo Land is a pejorative term used to refer to Third World countries particularly in Africa or to a fictional such country Contents 1 Possible origins 2 Controversies 3 See also 4 ReferencesPossible origins EditThe origin of the term is unclear but it may come from one or both of the following Bongo drums believed to be played by African natives 1 A parody of African place names or languages particularly those in Bantu languages Bantu languages avoid consonant clusters and almost all words end in vowels and reduplication is commonly used to mark intensity or frequency There is a reference to Bongoland in the English translation by Ellen Elizabeth Frewer of a book originally in German by Georg August Schweinfurth published in 1874 in English as The Heart of Africa 2 Schweinfurth locates it as lying between 6 8 degrees North and in the south western region of the Bahr el Ghazal South Sudan The Belgian explorer Adolphe de Calonne Beaufaict also refers to the Bongo of the Bahr el Ghazal in his 1921 study of the Azande 3 The English anthropologist Evans Pritchard published a useful description of the Bongo in 1929 4 in which he pointed out how their way of life was systematically destroyed by the Arab slave and ivory traders from the North The 1947 song Civilization by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman recorded by various artists contained the line Bongo Bongo Bongo I Don t Want to Leave the Congo A variation of this was adopted for a poster produced by the fascist Union Movement bearing the chant Bongo bongo whites aren t going to leave the Congo 5 In the 1970s the cinema advertisement for Silk Cut cigarettes parodying the 1964 film Zulu was supposedly set in Mbongoland The word bongo is also the slang nickname of the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam and the kind of music which originated from Dar es Salaam is called Bongo Flava a slang version of the phrase bongo flavour Also some Tanzanian films are known as bongo films 6 Controversies EditThe term has featured in political controversies In 1985 Alan Clark while Conservative Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton once in a departmental meeting allegedly referred to Africa as Bongo Bongo Land 7 8 When called to account however Clark denied the comment had any racist overtones saying it had simply been a reference to the President of Gabon Omar Bongo 9 In 2004 Taki Theodoracopulos called Kenya bongo bongo land in his Spectator column The Guardian later criticized his use of offensive and outdated stereotypes 10 In July 2013 Godfrey Bloom Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber for the UK Independence Party UKIP was filmed referring to countries which receive overseas aid from the United Kingdom as Bongo Bongo Land 11 UKIP later banned use of the term A spokesperson from Show Racism the Red Card stated that Bloom s remarks were crude stereotypes that see Britain as a civilised place and overseas as tribal 12 Matthew d Ancona wrote in The Daily Telegraph There may indeed be some who inwardly cheered Bloom s choice of words But there will be many including crucially some who agree with his position on aid who felt queasy at the use of such antediluvian language 13 In 2019 the MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi asked the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to apologise for his use of derogatory terms to describe immigrants citing towel head or Taliban or coming from bongo bongo land as examples of such insults which minority communities receive though not necessarily ascribing these terms to Johnson the speech was made in relation to other comments made by him 14 See also EditBongoland a 2003 American Tanzanian film directed by Josiah Kibira Bunga bunga Um Bongo a tropical fruit drink with African themed branding Bongo bongo in linguistics King Leonardo and His Short Subjects a 1960 animation series about the fictional African country of Bongo CongoReferences Edit Room Adrian 2006 Nicknames of places Origins and meanings of the alternate and secondary names sobriquets titles epithets and slogans for 4600 places worldwide McFarland amp Company Bongo Bongo Land Schweinfurth Georg August Frewer Ellen Elizabeth 3 February 1874 The heart of Africa New York Harper amp brothers via Internet Archive de Calonne Beaufaict A Azande Bruxelles Instituts Solvay E E Evans Pritchard The Bongo Sudan Notes and Records Vol 12 Part 1 1929 Prison Sentence And Fines In Ritz Hotel Case Defence Speaks Of An Awful Error Law The Times Saturday Aug 13 1960 pg 4 Issue 54849 col F Kanumba funeral Thousands mourn Tanzanian actor BBC News 10 April 2012 Retrieved 17 March 2021 Hughes Geoffrey 2011 Political Correctness A History of Semantics and Culture ISBN 9781444360295 7 February 1985 Tory minister faces row over race remark Financial Times Clark A The Last Diaries In and Out of the Wilderness Phoenix 2003 p 219 Boris Johnson Selective spectator The Guardian 21 October 2004 Mason Rowena 6 August 2013 Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom criticises aid to bongo bongo land The Guardian Retrieved 6 August 2013 The other meaning of Bongoland BBC News 8 August 2013 d Ancona Matthew 10 August 2013 Take note Ukip political discourse isn t a free for all via www telegraph co uk Boris Johnson urged to apologise for derogatory and racist letterboxes article The Guardian 4 September 2019 Retrieved 28 April 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bongo Bongo Land amp oldid 1140040513, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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