Had an incident at school last week!

[blackrosie]

I had an incident at school last week, we were talking about curry being hot and spicy. One child piped up (they are only yr 1) saying that the curry would be "Gora". I do know what that means in Punjabi and it is not what he meant, but they insisted that it meant something else. Do not want to cause a big fussyet , but does anyone out here know what the word Gora, Gore, Gorrah, Ghorreh, etc means?

[keyplus90]

As I said in other of your question, Gora Means White Man and Gori is white woman, or girl. But usually this word is used as refering to someone who is white. It is not a racist remak if that is what you are worried about.

[blackrosie]

Well from what my daughters friends have said, then yes it is racist!!

[blackrosie]

btw all the friends were asian and did speak punjabi!!

[Ice.Maiden]

I'm sure keyplus is telling you the truth rosie - x

[*Princess*]

I think as it's a child in yr1, I wouldn't get insulted by it. However, it'd be interesting to find out where the child learnt it from.

[blackrosie]

don't think so!!!!

[blackrosie]

princess,
obviously the child got it from the parents!
these children are very impressionable at this age as are all children. What the parents says is law

[blackrosie]

I have older children who were constantly called gorra/gorre and they knew it was as insulting as calling an asian child a ****. Their friends (who were asian told them this)

[*Princess*]

You sure they didn't pick it up from their friends?

As for the racism point of view, it's probably not meant to be an insult, but I still think having 'nick names' for people depending on their skin colour is very wrong, for example, it a white person was to use the 'N' word, even if it wasn't in a derogatory way, there would still be 'insulted' people, even if it was an innocent yr1 kid, so I don't see how this should be treat any differently.

[Ice.Maiden]

Children are children the world over, hun. They pick up on things from various sources. If your little girl was the only white person in the group, then the word could've been used quite innocently.

[blackrosie]

BTW i wrote another blog and got it banned.... WHY????
Said only " who has got the guts to tell me what gorra/gorre means"......
Maybe the truth is hard to bear???
Most Asians understand english, but hey, do we know any of their language????

[naomi24]

People of different cultures have names for each other - and often derogatory names. That's life, unfortunately. I've never heard this word, but I'd say rise above it. If it is a derogatory term, then your anger and resentment is exactly the reponse required, and therefore the aggressors are achieving their aim. Don't give the them the satisfaction. You can be bigger than that - yes?

[naomi24]

Sorry - should have been 'don't give them'

[blackrosie]

You know what.. I bet all you people come from a community that doesn't have a big asian population!!!
If u lot actually lived in the real world, you wouldn't be saying about children being children. The community I live in is very Asian (now) and yes "YES" they are just as racist as any other people on the planet. There is no one race of people that is not racist, and anyone that says otherwise is just kidding themselves. So why can't we all agree to be different? Without insulting others???

[blackrosie]

Naomi, you missed the point, I knew what he meant but called his bluff. I still think he's a great child but I do wonder what he is being taught at home. If the home teaching is not to trust white people, then where is our society going?

[naomi24]

I don't know if you're right in all cases, rosie, because I don't know where all the other contributors live, but in my case you're certainly correct. Although I go to East London very often, and see the enormous changes there, I don't actually live in a mixed community.

[Ice.Maiden]

I think you've missed my point rosie. I personally don't live in a community with a large Asian population, no, but I have Asian friends and their children play with mine. I've heard my own children come out with things which they certainly haven't gleaned from home - and vice versa with the Asian children. I mediate with them, and gently point out that we don't need to insult each other, whatever our colour or creed - and it's soon forgotten and they go off playing happily together. If you make a big thing of it, it actually makes children more curious and inclined to do or say the very things they aren't supposed to.

[naomi24]

Sorry, rosie, we cross posted there. You really do have my sincere sympathy, and I dread to think where society is going. If only people would respect each other, but they don't, and sadly that's a fact of life. Maybe by mixing with your family, this child will doubt the veracity of the lessons he is learning at home? Let's hope so.

[*Princess*]

Hmmm at a risk of being shot at here, in general, do you think that people of ethnic origin (am carefully picking my words here so that they're PC) get away with more than 'white' people, for fear of upsetting them and being called racist?

I know many people of different religions/races/skin colour/beliefs/etc but many of my white friends, feel they have to treat others with kid gloves for fear of upsetting them, for example, a friend of mine works in M&S and the line manager is horrible, he shouts, swears at his staff, literally pokes them (seriously!) but when they make a complaint, he says their racist and it gets taken no further. About 15 people have left so far because of him. I know it's just one example, but would an allegation of racism be taken as seriously if it was a white person making it?

Disclaimer: I am not being racist, I am not being prejudice, I am merely asking for opinions, thank you :o)

[THECORBYLOON]

According to Wikipedia,

gora, a Hindi and Punjabi word for a yellow-skinned person, whether Indian or from other regions; also used by British people of Indian descent to refer to a white European (plural goray, feminine gori).

I woul take it to mean the curry would not be made in the traditional way or to traditional tastes, rather that it would be made to a British style. Can't see the problem.