*Eat your heart out!


"Laku-Pekka" is an iconic Finnish liquorish bar, but the name, translating as "Liquorish-Pete", is also used as name tag for non-white immigrants. The character itself, with its black round head, big eyes, open, thick-lipped mouth and big round earrings is a close relative of the equally "harmless" imageries widely spread in 1920's and 30's. In fact, "Laku-Pekka" used by Fazer, Finland´s leading sweets manufacturer, has appeared on the wrappings since the 20´s, as the company´s homepage proudly declares.

You are what you eat, says a proverb. In Finnish food stuffs there's a strong tradition for package design and marketing saturated with overtly racist and nationalistic imageries. Often combining "humorous" cartoon characters and food stuffs, these products have, during several decades, moulded the ways of naming both food, and people of color.

 

 

 

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