Blackface bonfire society updates its ‘Zulu’ image

A Bonfire Night society that has paraded in blackface through the streets of Lewes for 160 years dressed as Zulu warriors has changed to more colourful makeup after discussions with modern Zulus.

The Borough Bonfire Society has been wearing Zulu costumes with dark face paint since about 1860 and in recent years some locals have grown uneasy with the tradition.

Organisers said that there were some boos but it overall it received a “very positive” response from crowds who attended the annual parade in the East Sussex town.

Mick Symes, 69, a captain for Borough, said: “We had a very good response from the crowd. You had the odd person who wants to put their finger up but we had such a warm welcome. We have to look at the overall event not just the odd person who might boo or hiss — whether because they didn’t like the make-up I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t like my face.”

The decision to use colourful makeup was made in 2017 when the parade was joined by dancers from Zulu Tradition. Thandanani Gumede, a member of the Zulu people, told the Bonfire society that it was not offensive to pay tribute to Zulus but suggested that colourful makeup might replace black or brown.

Mr Gumede did not attend this year but his agent said that “he would be delighted” that members of the society had “coloured up” rather than blacked up.

Mr Symes said that the crowd were excited to see the society’s bonfire, which included a display of televisions being dropped onto a television licensing vehicle as a statement about changes to free licences for people over 75.

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