User:Malick78/Murzynek Bambo

Murzynek Bambo (Bambo the Black child or Bambo the little Negro) - is the name of a children's poem by Polish author Julian Tuwim (September 1894 – December 1953). It is about a small, black boy called Bambo who lives in Africa. It was written in the first half of the twentieth century. While the poem is much loved by Poles and while it shows a certain fondness for its main character, some have accused it of presenting a simplistic and racist view of Africans. 'Bambo' is now sometimes used as a word for black people in Poland, similar to Sambo in English.

Poem
Murzynek Bambo w Afryce mieszka, Czarną ma skórę ten nasz koleżka. Uczy się pilnie przez całe ranki Ze swej murzyńskiej Pierwszej czytanki.

A gdy do domu ze szkoły wraca, Psoci, figluje - to jego praca. Aż mama krzyczy: "Bambo, łobuzie!" A Bambo czarną nadyma buzię.

Mama powiada: "Napij się mleka", A on na drzewo mamie ucieka. Mama powiada: "Chodź do kąpieli", A on się boi, że się wybieli.

Lecz mama kocha swojego synka, Bo dobry chłopak z tego Murzynka. Szkoda, że Bambo czarny, wesoły, Nie chodzi razem z nami do szkoły.

Translation
Bambo the little Negro lives in Africa, Black skin has our little friend, He studies hard throughout the mornings Reading from his negro ABC book

And when he gets home from school He plays and messes around – that's his work, Till mum shouts "Bambo, you naughty boy!", And Bambo frowns his black face.

Mummy tells him "drink some milk", But he escapes from mum up a tree, Mum says "come and have a bath", But he's scared he'll wash off his colour.

But mummy loves her little son, Because this little negro is a good boy, It's a shame that black and happy Bambo, Doesn't go to school with us.

Analysis
The poem is known by the majority of Polish children but has been accused of promoting a stereotypical and demeaning view of Africans. Black people in Poland frequently report being called "Murzynek Bambo" in the street, often by children.

According to Dr Tomasz Piekot of Wroclaw University: "The author of 'Murzynek Bambo' was himself discriminated against [as a Jew] and we can assume, he didn't have bad intentions. But it was written at a time when Poland dreamt of having colonies. This context is very important. Tuwim wanted to show children, that there's nothing scary about a small Negro. He's just a naughty boy like us. But in modern children's books, this little Negro wears a skirt of palm leaves, has a banana in his hand, and is in a straw hut. This a clearly colonial image, and of course we know live in different times. Tuwim writes that he is 'our little friend' ['koleżka']. Nowadays 'koleżka' is a slightly offensive word, describing someone who we treat indulgently, not a partner. The pejorative word 'bambus' ['bamboo', used as an insult for black people] also probably comes from Tuwim's work, from the name Bambo. The worst thing however is the ending: 'It's a shame, that black and happy Bambo doesn't go to school with us'. The author knew, that it was impossible for a black child to learn together with white children. What does a child brought up with this verse think to themself, when the see a black child in their class? You're not meant to be here - children from Africa go to school in Africa. The work implies to readers, that Bambo is like us, but, unfortunately, not from our world.'"