Newspaper Page Text
Rhonda Jones
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Ah ... Christmas. A warm
hearth, time with family and
friends, hot food, the cozy flick
ering of candle flames at mid
night mass, the baby Jesus. And
thereally important stuff... toys!
The thing about toys though,
is that African-American kids
have always had tomake dowith
products that didn’t actually
speak to them (Teddy Ruxpin
aside), and draw them into the
experience. Barbie, for instance,
has always been a bit of an Ary
an princess, even when she’s a
brunette. GI Joe — All-Ameri
can, mom, apple pie, white skin.
Even boxes of Legos and cooking
gets are usually adorned by white
kids unless, in an effort to be
4politically correct,” the compa
ny decides to let a black child
play with them here or there.
. Here’s the irony. In answer to
this trend African-American toy
makers have created well-round
ed lines that do a lot more than
create a shallow, unachievable
tmage for girls and boys to shoot
for. They have created toys with
personalities that moonlight as
self-esteem boosters.
Tyco Toys has added to its
Kenya doll collection, and is in
troducing its “Kenya’s Cousins,”
Little African Princesses line for
the holiday season. Three -year
old Kenya owns the distinction
of being the “first African-Amer
ican doll produced by a major toy
manufacturer to offer realistic
facial features and be available
in three distinct skin tones and
hair colors.”
Butit’s not just African-Amer
ican skin and facial features that
draw youngsters to this toy. The
accessories that accompany her,
according to representatives at
Tyco, support the play patterns
of African-American girls that
are “intrinsic to the bonding ex
perience” they need with their
mothers. For instance, with the
‘Just For Me Magic Lotion,” girls
can straighten Kenya’s curls and
style her hair, then wash out the
lotion to get back the curl.
“With pride and beauty,” says
Kay Trongeau, vice president of
marketing girls’toys, “the Kenya
family brings a message of self
esteem that makes a positive
impression on mothers and chil
dren alike. She’s so popular, it’s
been difficult for us to keep up
with the demand for Kenya and
her family during the past holi
day shopping seasons.”
According to Dr. Darlene
Powell Hopson, author of Differ
\
' =
, to heat fro
we want : .
Savannah River Site
Citizens Advisory Board
Subcommittee Meeting
Environmental Remediation and
Waste Management Program
Subcommittee Meeting
November 13, 1995
5:00 p.m.
Partridge Inn, Richmond A Suite
2110 Walton Way
Augusta, Georgia
Happy Veteran’s Day,
November 11, 1995
e st '
2 .E..‘.}‘-‘-._:_- \fl* 4 . :-' ¢ 3 -»;;. b W :_-‘;:. >" & ".i.*’ ~ es’ wl’...'.‘.""‘ o?& "‘x “‘j’ t‘3
o“{ -:« .i”‘ T%| é N '£ e ™ . Y ’é*»v e
: ‘ Ne e i "’\"W“ i
s A \ i PP, .L W loG é. \ I%\ ey
& 5 . ;3% . ‘*s'!s?‘{ ‘Qfimwi‘s% ' }«%x “%
TN o : :‘w i| f' &%‘g,
% R N -St L § i{7§: 43%
e 3 ) o ; § % i S & K ) ".»“;
Nl e )
iy & D e ety e R )TN
B e
] b w A (MA‘VW . O |
S v s&.it Nt f:""é 'Vv" ‘*2*/ § :
. P T § ; '
- , . m;”‘:*z,gv by gl TR A - fH
R e A "
R ’\“" wl AT w‘ ta ¢ w 3«‘ E
;_" . iy"?i:' F 4 ,@Afi;"x\“” f:? .\
ST RO oel |(O
o L Ay 3. o‘(* b ,:«* 4 ’::::':: e
[T NR
ent and Wonderful: Raising
Black Children in a Race-Con
scious Society, doll play is a very
important tool in teaching self
esteem. “As we teach our chil
dren that Black dolls are beauti
ful, desirable, and good, he or
sheisalsolearningthat the same
is true for himself or herself,”
she explains.
The “Kenya’s Cousins” series,
a collection of six 6 1/2-inch dolls
also features elaborate African
inspired dresses, as well as con
temporary outfits that match
each doll’s African dress.
The catch is, I haven’t seen
any of these dolls around town. I
have seen Steven and Christie,
BARBIE’s black versions of
Barbie and Ken, which are every
bit as imaginative and exciting
as their white counterparts.
Kenyan Barbie, of the “Dolls of
the World” collection, probably
qualifies as a collector’s item,
and provides a few facts on the
back of the box. For instance, the
red-and-white gingham-pat
terned dress she wears is called
a shuka, and her cape is called
Closer Look
kanga.
“Hello!” ebuliates Native
American Barbie, “I'm Native
American Barbie, part of a proud
Indian heritage ... One of the
most well-known ceremonies of
the Native American culture is
the powwow ...”
Thereisalso ared-haired Irish
Barbie who wears a green dress
and has a sparkle in her green
eyes. Being of Celtic heritage
myself, I find her ever so slightly
amusing. Anyway ...
But Kayßee Toy and Hobby
Shop has something a little dif
ferent. On the bottom shelf, un
der the fluffy, sparkly, eye-level
Barbies, a line of African-Amer
ican toddler dolls wait, wide
eyed, for someone to take them
The members of the Savannah River
Site Citizens Advisory Board would like
to hear from you as they provide recom
mendations on SRS activities.
On November 13, the Environmental
Remediation and Waste Management
Program Subcommittee will meet to
discuss potential motions regarding high
level waste issues at SRS. Subcommit
tee members will also receive a briefing
about how a past recommendation
concerning transuranic waste is be'ng
implemented. You're invited to join us.
If you would like more information
about this subcommittee, please call
Dawn Haygood at 1-800-603-0970 or
(803) 644-6820.
& . |
% s B, & &
RLT ; i, : & s
fi %@ & &L
s k. , p/ B = - )
it 1 9 oY o S ; 4 s, S
oG . f . 3 -2L i ;
; p: iAW ; —* .n} & ie 4
»mfi o§ - R 1 men g L
e o/ Lt h: Pt 4 = ~ p o ;o R
P - Y L : —i‘\ P . "
AT . & G S b ()¢ Y B i 7
VoS "W B B ) P . Pt i N i Y
W o : & g - ‘:3 Y¥y
; - R 24 o = A
LU 5(, h B ju’ 1 N
—e ’i-........,»
Afrocentric
lines
- are
plentiful,
| but some
| may be hard
to find
(Left)
Olmec Toys
produces the
Afrocentric
Imani line of dolls
(Belfiw)
Kenya’s Cousins
by Tyco
home. OLMEC is the company,
started 10 yearsagoby Yla Eason
out of frustration over the lack of
black action figures for her son
Menelik to play with. She took
the company name from the
Olmecas, an ancient tribe that
once lived in what is now Mexico,
known now for their great stone
sculptures.
In addition to the OLMEC baby
dolls and toddlers — which, like
“Kenya’s Cousins,” have varied
skin tones and personalities —
there is the Imani fashion doll.
Imani comes with a variety of
outfits, some for formal occa
sions, some for casual situations,
and some for career moves. And
each Imani pack will soon come
with adictionary of African words
' FAMILY REUNION,
We're great at family reunions! We give
I__fl’fl_‘z“ everyone their own comfortable room!
e son & Our staft is friendly and ready to serve!
a’?" g/‘ J And we can do itall at a price that'll sit well
AB & = j“( with everyone in the family — even that
- ‘ ) \oo S picky relative of yours who's almost never
g {bé’ W satisfied. When you're making plans for youi
-~ — e — ~—next family reunion, think of us as one of the
4!‘} " IR family—and ca//on us. That's what familics
(> S are for, isn't it?
For a family-sized
reservation, call: 0
(706) 724-8100
1Q . WAKE UP TO US.
444 Broad St. Downtown Augusta, GA 30901 1-800-325-2525
Subscribe to Augusta’s finest weekly newspaper!
Call Augusta Focus at 724-7855.
AUGUSTA FOCUS November 9, 1995
and a fill-in-the-blank diary to
teach girls a particular lesson
about her own strengths, accord
ing to Augusta spokesperson for
OLMEC Janet Walker. Howev
er, the award-winning “Imani
Music Video” package will con
tain the booklets for Christmas.
The package was named one of
the 10 Best Socially Responsible
Products for 1994, and selected
as one of the 100 Best Children’s
Products of 1994 by the Institute
for Childhood Resources in San
Francisco, Calif.
The following is a list of some
of the packages, with the lessons
they endeavor to teach:
*”lmani African Wedding”
package: “Jumping the Broom
for Our Ancestors.” This pack
age teaches the importance of
including African traditions in
wedding ceremonies, Ms. Walk
er said, “so we won't forget what
some of our ancestors had to go
through just to get married.”
*’lmani African Fashion”
package: “Respect the Dress of
Other cultures.”
*’lmani Loves to Swim” pack
age: “Obeying the Rules Can
Save Your Life.” This one has
been renamed from “Imani Loves
the Beach.”
*lmani Denim Fun” package
“Dating the Smart Way.” She’s
older, Ms. Walker said, and
knows that she should protect
herself by dating in groups.
*lmani the Reporter” pack
age: “Good Work Habits Pay Ofi
Because of Imani’s good habits,
she gets to interview a popular
movie star.
*”lmani Splendor” packags
“Real Beauty Is Within.” M
Walker calls this one “probahbiy
the prettiest doll that they Hav:
**lmani Ribbon ‘N’ Braids
package: “Be Proud of Y-
Hair.”
The overall theme of the 12
collection is “You Can Be Wi a!
You Want to Be.” Ms. Waiker
said next year, Imani will be a
veterinarian and a stockbroker.
Then there are the “Hip Hop
Kids,” a collection of six young
friends with one booklet between
them. “Remember the Golcen
Rule” tells of a walk in the park
in which the kids, three girls and
three boys, find a wallet anic have
to decide what to do with it
OLMEC also produces roll
model figures for boys. The
“Bronze Bombers,” a dozen fu
turistic Enforcers, were original
ly patterned after the Americin
369th Infantry of World Wars 1
and 11. “Our Powerful Past” black
leader series features an autho
rized seven-inch Malcom X dol!
with poseable arms and head
and a podium, microphone and
collector card. Sun-Man
OLMEC'’s very first toy, gets his
power from the melanin in his
skin and comes with removable
breastplate, wings, shield, sword
or club and the original 1985
comic book.
Ofthe stores visited — Blast to
the Past, Children at Play (which
doesn’t carry action figures but
does carry an African counting
game called Mancalla), Kayßee
Toys, and Toys R Us — I found
one black action figure: the Afri
can-American Gl Joe at Blast (o
the Past. According to salesmman
Tim Campbell, the older ones
sell for more than white GI Joes
“.. There weren't a lot made at
the time,” he said. “That whole
series was rare to begin with.”
9