Yogi Bear came to us from Warner Brothers and their creations greatly exemplify Americana after all this time. Uncle Remus exemplifies Americana as well but his name carries a great deal of racial loading insofar as modern black people may find him offensive. (WIKI: Uncle Remus)
Uncle Remus in Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation, 1881
The animal stories were conveyed in such a manner that they were not seen as racist by many among the audiences of the time. By the mid-20th century, however, the dialect and the narrator's "old Uncle" stereotype were considered demeaning by many African-American people, reflecting what they considered to be racist and patronizing attitudes toward African-Americans. Providing additional controversy is the stories' context, as they are set on a former slave-owning plantation and portrayed in a passive, even docile, manner. Nevertheless, Harris's work was, according to himself, an accurate account of the stories he heard from the slaves when he worked on a plantation as a young man. He claimed to have listened to, and memorized, the African American animal stories told by Uncle George Terrell, Old Harbert, and Aunt Crissy at the plantation; he wrote them down some years later. He acknowledged his debt to these storytellers in his fictionalized autobiography, On the Plantation (1892). Many of the stories that he recorded have direct equivalents in the African oral tradition.
There's the scholarly perspective and here's another from Mark Twain:
Mark Twain read the Uncle Remus stories to his children, who were awed to meet Harris himself. In his "Autobiography" Twain describes Harris thus:
He was the bashfulest grown person I have ever met. When there were people about he stayed silent, and seemed to suffer until they were gone. But he was lovely, nevertheless; for the sweetness and benignity of the immortal Remus looked out from his eyes, and the graces and sincerities of his character shone in his face.
Mark Twain is alone another vital piece of Americana and I value his perspective for that reason. Yes, this the same as Cadillac Man's frame of reference.
- WIKI
The WIKI article refers to Harris' use of a Deep South Gullah dialect and that may be of interest to you as well. (WIKI: Gullah)
While I may not be busted for appropriating Uncle Remus, it's a dead cert I would be busted and deservedly for appropriating his dialect. It's a little similar to Americans trying to emulate a British accent and there are only two words: just don't. You won't likely offend anyone with a fake Brit accent but there's a strong possibility you will embarrass yourself.
The problem about which I was previously unaware is that modern black people may consider Uncle Remus similarly to Aunt Jemima whom most regarded as a charming, motherly lady but her role was seen as subservient, etc and was, thus, offensive.
Whether I consider that appropriate makes no difference but it makes an enormous difference for whatever black people may think.
Zen Yogi: so Brer Bear and Brer Silas have got to go?
I believe so, mate. Using them is that which is currently known as cultural appropriation and that's fair enough but much of that which I do in this context is also cultural appropriation since I use Yogi Bear as well. The difference is it's extremely unlikely anyone will take offense at appropriating Yogi but there's an unknown potential for offense with Uncle Remus.
Zen Yogi: did you answer the question or dance with it?
Yep, they've got to go.
Zen Yogi: does that mean I will evaporate without so much as a wham, bam, thank you, ma'am?
No, mate, since you I'm happy you're my bear buddy but you can't be my Brer Bear buddy.
Zen Yogi: it's a deal, Silas
Uncle Remus in Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation, 1881
The animal stories were conveyed in such a manner that they were not seen as racist by many among the audiences of the time. By the mid-20th century, however, the dialect and the narrator's "old Uncle" stereotype were considered demeaning by many African-American people, reflecting what they considered to be racist and patronizing attitudes toward African-Americans. Providing additional controversy is the stories' context, as they are set on a former slave-owning plantation and portrayed in a passive, even docile, manner. Nevertheless, Harris's work was, according to himself, an accurate account of the stories he heard from the slaves when he worked on a plantation as a young man. He claimed to have listened to, and memorized, the African American animal stories told by Uncle George Terrell, Old Harbert, and Aunt Crissy at the plantation; he wrote them down some years later. He acknowledged his debt to these storytellers in his fictionalized autobiography, On the Plantation (1892). Many of the stories that he recorded have direct equivalents in the African oral tradition.
There's the scholarly perspective and here's another from Mark Twain:
Mark Twain read the Uncle Remus stories to his children, who were awed to meet Harris himself. In his "Autobiography" Twain describes Harris thus:
He was the bashfulest grown person I have ever met. When there were people about he stayed silent, and seemed to suffer until they were gone. But he was lovely, nevertheless; for the sweetness and benignity of the immortal Remus looked out from his eyes, and the graces and sincerities of his character shone in his face.
Mark Twain is alone another vital piece of Americana and I value his perspective for that reason. Yes, this the same as Cadillac Man's frame of reference.
- WIKI
The WIKI article refers to Harris' use of a Deep South Gullah dialect and that may be of interest to you as well. (WIKI: Gullah)
While I may not be busted for appropriating Uncle Remus, it's a dead cert I would be busted and deservedly for appropriating his dialect. It's a little similar to Americans trying to emulate a British accent and there are only two words: just don't. You won't likely offend anyone with a fake Brit accent but there's a strong possibility you will embarrass yourself.
The problem about which I was previously unaware is that modern black people may consider Uncle Remus similarly to Aunt Jemima whom most regarded as a charming, motherly lady but her role was seen as subservient, etc and was, thus, offensive.
Whether I consider that appropriate makes no difference but it makes an enormous difference for whatever black people may think.
Zen Yogi: so Brer Bear and Brer Silas have got to go?
I believe so, mate. Using them is that which is currently known as cultural appropriation and that's fair enough but much of that which I do in this context is also cultural appropriation since I use Yogi Bear as well. The difference is it's extremely unlikely anyone will take offense at appropriating Yogi but there's an unknown potential for offense with Uncle Remus.
Zen Yogi: did you answer the question or dance with it?
Yep, they've got to go.
Zen Yogi: does that mean I will evaporate without so much as a wham, bam, thank you, ma'am?
No, mate, since you I'm happy you're my bear buddy but you can't be my Brer Bear buddy.
Zen Yogi: it's a deal, Silas
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