How Children’s Chocolate drink has become a symbol of French colonialism Features

In 1909, the French journalist, who turned to enter Pierre Frankua Lardit from a trip to Nicaragua, was designed to re -create a tasting drink there.

Five years later, in August 1914, Badania was born.

The arrival of banana powder, which is turned by chocolate, was just as France found itself in the war.

The following year, the amulet – a black soldier wearing the red Fez – appeared for the first time on an advertising poster.

During World War I, 200,000 African soldiers for France fought in the battlefields in Europe, Africa and Anatolia. They came from the French colonies in West and Central Africa. Many were enforced.

The African soldier at the Banania is like soldiers known as Tengalese Tirailleurs (Riflemen), who wore Fez Red Fez. This military corps, which was established in 1857, obtained his name because the first recruits came from Senegal.

Tirailleurs is very popular with their courage. They were first sent to serve the colonial wars in West and Central Africa, before fighting in World War I (1914-18). During World War II (1939-1945), they served in France, North Africa and the Middle East. At least 30,000 Terilor died during World War I, while an estimated 8,000 died during the second.

Tirailleur smiles from Bania, and sits on the grass with a bowl of crushed drink and a rifle next to it. His exaggerated smile and facial features are similar to the common racist stereotypes at the time and were seen in chocolate, soap and shoes advertisements.

Poster logo, “Y’a Bon”, meaning “c’est bon” (this is good) in French simplification It was taught to colonial soldiers, and increased racist caricatures of joyful and simple Africa. The company referred to the amulet as “L’ami Y’a Bon” – The Y’a Bon Friend.

Against the background of World War I, Lardet’s amulet benefited in a mood of patriotism and pride in French colonialism. But it also helped to encourage the general acceptance of African soldiers fighting on French soil, and Sandrin Limir, a historian and co -author of several books on French colonialism. She was not a selfishness alone. The French authorities also sought to use images that highlight loyalty and military qualities of African soldiers in France through advertising, postal cards and news articles.

“Terilor was the invention of a opportunistic declaration from Lardit … which made the builder of Spanish a semi -national act,” said Bab Ndiayi, a politician and historian, during 2010. He speaks About banana and colonial repression.

Banania was upgraded by the children’s cartoon that includes the amulet. In one of them, he returns to his homeland from France, where he brought two banana boxes to Africans who wear Loincloths. in Photographer It was published in 1933, taking Banania to France before going to the West Indies, and the French colonial Canary and Hindusina Islands to create banana farms.

“In the twenties and thirties of the last century, Banania was everywhere. She had contact points in all areas of cinema, packaging, promotional elements, and notebook The documentary About Banania.

Meanwhile, between the late thirties of the twentieth century and the early fifties, according to the only book published on the history of Banania, the company doubled three times production. These golden years were in Banania before Nesik entered the market in the 1960s.

Etien Achille, associate professor of Villanova studies in Pennsylvania, says that the amulet, which appeared in advertisements, packaging, and collected materials, such as games, were popular throughout the twentieth century because it strengthened the pride of the French people in their colonial empire and the contribution of their “nationals” in the war effort.

I was shaken by ending colonialism

But when the French colonies fought in Africa and gained independence in the fifties and early sixties of the last century, Banania was also shaken by ending colonialism.

Increasingly, Banania – with its slogan and stereotype – has become a shortcut to colonialism and racism. Tirailleur came in the representation of the soldiers who were forced to struggle for France, to embody the injustice condemned by the anti -colonial movements.

“I will tear the prominent match from all the walls of France,” wrote Leopold Cedar Singour, who became the first president of Senegal in 1960, in 1948 poem dedicated to Terillars.

A few years later, the philosopher and psychiatrist at Martinic, Franz Fanon, made several references to “Y’a Bon Bania” in his 1952 Black Skin book, white masks, to indicate how blacks see in France through the racist Trops lens.

However, despite criticism, the amulet remained, albeit with updates.

In 1967, when ads sold modern, modern lifestyles, it became simplified and engineered: a Trifly A face with cartoon eyes and a red rectangular hat against a yellow background. The slogan, however, retired in 1977.

In the eighties and 1990S, The caricature’s face was introduced to some brand products, while others kept the amulet.

In 2004, after Banania was obtained by the French company Nutrial under a holding company, the new amulet was revealed: “Tirailleur” of 1915, which, according to Nutrimaine, symbolizes the successful diversity and integration of immigrant societies in French society. But his stereotypes were not completely different from his predecessor, with his smile, euphoria, white teeth and red Fez.

During the past decades of the twentieth century, the French brand has never regained its dominant position and continued to lose competitors such as Nesquik. I have fought in the least popular among young generations.

“They had to return to the brand’s golden age to save the company. There was only one way to do this: to return to the logo. A very few brands are linked to its logo,” Achilles explained. “This renewed version is effectively playing on the idea of ​​overlap. When you see it, you immediately think about the old Tirailleur.”

The design also captured the attention of writers and activists in Grioo.com, an online platform for French -speaking black society in Europe and Africa. “Can we tolerate that in 2005, we are represented because our ancestors were 90 years ago?” Grioo asked its readers, and at all online Seam Against Banania.

“Painful” heritage

After more than two decades, the “grandson” is still smiling on banana boxes in supermarkets throughout France.

For Achilles, Banania marketing embodies France’s lack of public debate about colonialism and post -colonial racism. He said: “The complete evacuation of the colonizer in popular culture can explain the reason for the continued selfishness of work without punishment.” “In other countries, this will not be possible.”

A Nutrimaine spokesman refused to provide a comment for this article.

Awatif Bentahar, 37, grew up, Banania’s vision on the supermarkets and sometimes drinking them. “The company did not understand how its heritage could actually be painful for a large part of the population,” she says.

“The children of French immigrants see the painful history of the colonialism and the struggle that we today to be respected in a society that cannot only indicate our daily status to our French situation” different. “

As a graphic designer and a French woman of Moroccan origin, Benthaar would like to see a Spanish evolution. As a personal project, it created an alternative colonial alternative, removing the amulet and drawing from the previous designs to include playful eyes and smile.

“I decided to try to rename Banania, not because I hate it, but because I actually love the idea of ​​what could be. The brands are part of our lives, whether we like it or not,” it is books On her blog.

“This coincides with being part of my childhood, and I would like to see it on the good side of history for change.”

This article is part of “regular elements, unusual stories”, a series of sudden stories behind the well -known elements.

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