What other names is the Cape Town New Year’s Carnival known by?
It’s sometimes called the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival and the Cape Town Coon Carnival. Objections can be raised to both of these alternative names. While the term “Coon” has long been commonly used in South Africa by members of the minstrel troupes and by outsiders, it was borrowed from the United States, where it is a derogatory term for African-American. Even though the word does not carry racist implications in South Africa, many people associated with the Carnival avoid its use, preferring to use “minstrel” or the Afrikaans term “klops” instead. In addition, both “Coon Carnival” and “Minstrel Carnival” refer only to the minstrel troupes. Using these names for the Carnival as a whole ignores the important contribution of Malay choirs and Christmas bands.
