Tongan mockumentary labelled offensive

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

A new Australian mockumentary has been condemned as “self indulgent” and “deeply offensive” to Pacific Islanders.

Chris Lilley’s comedy ‘Jonah from Tonga’ follows the life of a rebellious 14-year-old schoolboy and his run-ins with family, friends and teachers.

Professor Helen Lee is the Head of La Trobe University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology. She’s spent more than 20 years researching Tongan society, with a particular focus on the youth diaspora’s relationship with the ‘homeland’. She believes the portrayal of Tongan youth as “stupid” and “thuggish” is not satire. Continue Reading

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News category: Asia Pacific, News Shorts.

Tags: mockumentary, Racial Prejudice, Racism

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