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Hottentottilaulu
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Wikipedia article
'Hottentottilaulu' (Finnish for "The Hottentot song") is a Finnish language version of the song 'Visen om vesle Hoa' written by the Norwegian songwriter-author Thorbjrn Egner.Henriksson, Raimo: 'Rakkaimmat lastenlaulut: 150 koko perheen suosikkia (Valitut palat)', p.60. Belgium: Brepols, Turnhout, 1990. . The song was translated to Finnish by Jukka Virtanen and the music was composed by Olli Heikkil.
Song
The song is about a Hottentot boy Huua Kotti, "black as soot", living in Africa along the Chickadua river.Ryts, Paavo: [http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=6&ag=83&t=&a=4661 Tapani Perttu: Hottentottilaulu], 'YLE Elv arkisto' 22 November 2007, accessed on 14 February 2010.
The song was first published in 1961, when it was performed by Maikki Lnsi and Esa Saario. Later recordings of the song have been made by Vesa-Matti Loiri, Markku Suominen, Veltto Virtanen and Tuomari Nurmio, among others.[http://aanitearkisto.fi/firs2/kappale.php?Id=Hottentottilaulu Search results for Hottentottilaulu], 'nitearkisto'. Accessed on 14 November 2010.
According to the Helsinki City Library, the Hottentots are portrayed in the song as happy, childlike and harmless fairytale characters. The details describing the tribe's habits and living conditions are largely fictitious, for example the names are fictitious and bamboo, mentioned in the song, grows mainly in Asia. The song has been viewed as misleading or downright derogatory.[http://igs.kirjastot.fi/fi-FI/iGS/kysymykset/kysymys.aspx?ID=9a2053b7-f45d-481c-a307-982708d3366b Miksi Veltto Virtasen Hottentottilaulu hertt nyt julkisuusmyrskyn, muttei lainkaan Haloo (vuosi 1974?) levyn julkaisuvuonna. Nink paljon maailma on muuttunut?] 'Helsinki city library - Ask anything'. 29 March 2010, accessed on 7 April 2010.
Controversy
In March 2010 the song caused controversy, when Member of the Parliament of Finland Pertti "Veltto" Virtanen performed the 'Hottentottilaulu' on a True Finns party cruise. The cruise hostess interrupted Virtanen's performance, as it was viewed as racist.[http://www.hs.fi/politiikka/artikkeli/Veltto+Virtasen+rasistinen+show+h%C3%A4mmensi+persujen+risteilyll%C3%A4/1135253539368 Veltto Virtasen rasistinen show hmmensi persujen risteilyll], 'Helsingin Sanomat' 9 March 2010, accessed on 7 April 2010. Virtanen later accused the cruise hostess who had interrupted him of "racism". Later, Viking Line announced that the reason for the interruption had been Virtanen's derogatory and tactless comments about the other passengers.[http://www.uusisuomi.fi/kotimaa/87014-viking-line-%E2%80%9Dhottentottilaulu-lietsoi%E2%80%9D Viking Line: "Hottentottilaulu lietsoi"], 'Uusi Suomi' 9 March 2010, accessed on 7 April 2010.
References
Category:Finnish-language songs
Category:Finnish children's songs
Category:1961 songs
Category:Songs about children
Category:Songs about Africa
Category:Fictional African people
Category:Khoikhoi
Category:Stereotypes of black people
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