Recently, a popular Latino variety show featured an entertainer, Geisha Montes de Oca, imitating Amara “La Negra,” which would have been nothing new – except she’s wearing blackface.
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This is Montes de Oca out of blackface.
And this is Amara “La Negra,” the woman being imitated:
Many viewers were upset about the imitation, and left a slew of comments on the show’s Instagram page.
via Instagram
via Instagram
via Instagram
However, some defended Geisha Montes, attributing the controversy to a difference in cultures between those in the US and Dominicans.
via Instagram
Geisha Montes took to Instagram herself to further explain the situation and respond to those criticizing her:
Amara also reposted the blackface photo to her Instagram, but it’s unclear whether she supports or is offended by the costume, because she did not leave a caption on it.
Of course, we all know that blackface is a major offense in the United States, and to many of us, it’s even more surprising that a Dominican woman (who doesn’t seem to identify as black) would paint her face in such a manner to imitate another Dominican, then respond seeing nothing wrong with it. But is it more complicated than that? Is it truly part of Dominican culture to do something like this for the sake of good fun or to pay homage to another person? Given the tension in the country among light and dark skinned Dominicans and an ongoing idealism of anti-blackness, we aren’t so sure. Skin bleaching is prominent in the Dominican Republic, and there have been historical efforts to lighten the Dominican race (even one of the commenters cited Rafael Trujillo, a former Dominican President responsible for the Parsley Massacre). So even as a Black American, I’m skeptical regarding Geisha Montes’ view of a lack of racism in the country and the rest of us not understanding her culture.
What do you think, BGLH readers? Is blackface in the Dominican Republic offensive or not?