WOG FEATURES

“Wog Features uses animation and live action to address racism in culture and gender. I chose animation because of its universal appeal to children as well as adults, and to increase the potential audience. Using popular modes of music video and rap music it whips along unfolding a series of language-based vignettes. Sayings such as ‘salt of the earth’, ‘a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’ and ‘you’re getting under my skin’ are portrayed visually.
Wog Features is graphic and quirky in appearance - this belies its serious undertone. The use of souvenirs is potentially contentious because they have become tourist commodities. By incorporating them into Wog Features I reclaim their cultural relevance. Minstrels dance in blackface; golliwogs are incorporated into reconstructions of children’s television. This politicised look at culture is almost on the edge of profanity. I feel the education of our people should begin when they are young.” - Lisa Reihana, VDU Video Down Under, City Gallery Wellington, 1996 p. 21

“An eight minute film about racism and sexism which reprimands the view that all dark skinned people look and think the same way... Wog Features uses graphics, pop culture, iconography and stereotyopical images such as golliwogs to attack racism, sexism and the excesses of capitalism.”
The Evening Post, 22/05/91