Many of our friends know that Bryan and I have been vegetarians for years and years, which makes the following phenomenon especially weird.
A few months ago, I started noticing that little kids were running away from me as I walked around. They'd dash into their yards, or try to dart behind an older brother. (If they were lucky enough to not have an older brother who would hold them out toward me while they quivered and cried, terrified.) I figured that these kids were just shy.
However, Bryan told me that many children in Haiti believe that white people will eat them (!). What?! I've been trying to investigate since then:
Me: So did you believe that white people would eat you when you were little?
Frantzo: Oh, yes. I finally stopped thinking that when I was 9 or so. Fritzner when he was 12.
Me: Why then? Why at that point?
Frantzo: I realized I was big enough to protect myself if someone tried to eat me.
Me (joking): I think that woman didn't get in the front of the truck with us because I'm a blan. Maybe she's afraid of me.
Old guy (also getting a lift in the MCC truck): Because you're a blan?
Me: Yeah, you know, like how little kids think that white folks will eat them.
Old guy: Hahaha...but do you? Do you eat them?
I've found that my efforts to reassure kids hasn't gone over very well. When the lady doth protest too much, when I try to anticipate and address their fears, it can be even more worrying: "Don't be afraid, I won't eat you."
Sarcasm doesn't work very well either: "Don't worry, I already ate today." "Oh, I'm not hungry now."
But what I'd really like to know is how this idea took such root among the elementary school set. Marketing genius.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
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5 comments:
Don't worry Sharon, we will not teach Jonathan such things. In fact I am certain he would love to meet you now that he is almost 7 months old, rolling all over, and babbling away!
That's what the little kids in Sudan thought, too.
I laughed about the sarcasm approach :)
hmmm... when I was a kid I thought that all people who lived on islands and had dark skin were cannibals (I have no idea where this idea came from – probably a combination of movies and too many trips to Ye Olde Curiosity Shop to see the shrunken heads ). I think the funniest thing is that the old man in the truck didn’t seem to know for sure that you don’t eat kids. Maybe you should begin all conversations with "just so you know - I only eat vegetables!" to clear things up for everyone. :)
Wow - this is both hilarious and disturbing. Have you tried the allergy approach? Like, "I'm allergic to Haitians - I only eat Dominicans."
Tell them that if you were eating a lot of Haitians, you would be chubby...vegis keep you trim. Great blog, Barbara (colombia)
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