Anti-racism organisation, Asian Raisins, has started a petition to stop the use of this shocking Dutch song in schools and society — and we’re all for it.
“Hanky panky Shanghai” — yes, you read that right — is a song that is still sung during birthday celebrations in the Netherlands. Asian Raisins finds the song racist and hurtful to people with an Asian appearance, reports AD.
If you haven’t heard of it, you are in for a shock. 😳
What is “Hanky panky Shanghai”?
When first hearing about it, many American and British people might think it sounds sexual. While hearing the song might make you think it’s simply a Chinese translation of the usual birthday song ‘Happy birthday to you’.
But nee, the lyrics are — to put it lightly — rather silly, and definitely not Chinese. What makes the song worse? Its performance also involves the quite-obviously racist gesture of drawing the eyes into slits.
And yep, it’s taught in Dutch schools
It’s bad enough that the song is sung at all. However, ‘Hanky Panky Shanghai’ is also taught to children in Dutch nursery schools and through primary school.
The anti-racism organisation, Asian Raisins, says enough is enough. Understandably, they want to stop this song from being taught in schools and bring awareness to how offensive it is.
READ MORE | Netherlands, we need to talk about racism (and not just about Zwarte Piet)
The argument is that children in schools that sing this song are instilled with racism towards people with an East and Southeast Asian appearance, as was experienced by Amy Cheung, a member of the Asian Raisins.
“I didn’t feel like celebrating my birthday at school because of that song. People imitate your face by pulling their eyes back and making gestures with their hands. Children would say: You don’t have to make ‘slit eyes’,” Cheung tells AD.
No more hanky panky
Amy Cheung experienced other racist comments and was stereotyped while growing up in the Dutch city of Nijmegen due to her Asian appearance.
Cheung now wants to end racism against Asian people, starting with collecting signatures for a petition against “Hanky panky Shanghai.” This movement will take place not only in the Randstad — but also Nijmegen and Maastricht.
READ MORE | How to support anti-racism in the Netherlands beyond social media
Support to stop this disturbing song from appearing in schools comes from Gjalt Jellesma of the umbrella organisation BOink for childcare. “I hope we put that behind us. Especially the gestures. I would be very disappointed if they were still used. There are plenty of alternatives,” Jellesma tells AD.
What do you think of this song being taught in Dutch schools? Tell us in the comments.
I have never, ever heard of this song, or so-called tradition. Not in my childhood, in a newspaper or on tv. I asked my parents and my nieces and nephew, and they also never heard of this song. And yes, they have, or had classmates of East Asian decent.
Not trying to doubt or bash your article, but I’ve become quite curious of this. I can understand it might have been a thing a century ago, when people were much more ignorant…, but nowadays?