Foreign racial slur used as bakery name on Lordship lane

[Fassianos]

I am writing in regards to "Arapina" bakery/café on Lordship lane.

The store's name is a racial slur in Greek used in a derogatory manner towards women of black and African descent which has caused much hurt and harm to the Afrogreek community. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%B1

I was initially taken aback by the unfortunate name of the store and had assumed it might be some kind of linguistic coincidence but having a look on their website I realized that the owner is Greek (as am I). The justification for the store's name is a blatant cop out https://arapina.co.uk/what-does-arapina-mean/ . Given that the cake was named after the slur ages ago and is now known as plain chocolate cake.

I would like to inform the community about the situation. I am sure same as me other Greeks or Afrogreeks living or passing through Dulwich might find this word plastered across a sign quite offensive. I have written to the store but not heard back yet.

I understand that this might seem minor to some but given ED's diversity I felt others should be aware of the potential impact of a foreign racial slur on a store front right on Lordship lane might have for some.

[Nigello]

Best to take it up with the owner. Nobody here has the power to make the change you desire despite their sympathy, unfortunately.

[Fassianos]

I understand. We have actually had a brief back and forth with the owner who's deflecting responsibility and is not willing to write down any steps towards a positive change. It's understandable to be in denial when put in this type position but it's equally important to listen and try to respond. Instead we're being gaslit. Anyway, thought it's good for the wider community to be made aware. Edited March 12, 2023 by Fassianos

[Amberob]

OMG I'm so glad someone brought this up on here! My Greek friend could not believe it when he first saw it, and explained that it's basically the equivalent of the 'n' word in Greece. And yes, as you say, the owner is Greek so cannot claim ignorance. I think taking it up with the owner is one thing, but raising awareness about this is also important, that way more people may ask that they change the name. I doubt residents of ED would be happy if they actually knew what the term means.

[Alec1]

I would never have known this, and I am glad I do now. Really shocked that someone would knowingly use a slur for the name of their business! I think it is really important to bring this to everyone who will listen/read. I also wondered if it might be worth contacting local councillors/mp's as obviously it isn't a great look for East Dulwich.

[tedfudge]

Contact the council as they may have powers to make the owner change the name.. maybe even the police but do NOT dial 999 for this

[Fassianos]

Thanks all for the suggestions! We will contact the councilors and local MPs asap. If there's any other active forums on FB or Twitter we could inform people about this please do let me know. Honestly it is a very harmful word. Similarly named products in Greece have been renamed ages ago so there's really no reasoning in using this derogatory term in any way even if a racist cake was named after it in the past. There's no way to claim ignorance either. Edited October 1, 2022 by Fassianos

[ianr]

They appear to be a branch or franchisee of the Arapina bakery in Greenwich. See https://arapina.co.uk/contact/ and https://arapina.co.uk/what-does-arapina-mean/.

[Fassianos]

Yep, I think they're a branch.

[mlteenie]

This is disgraceful. Thank you for pointing this out. I will never be shopping there.

[j.a.]

Yep, I think they're a branch.

 

More than that, they’re a franchise. As such they’ve got no control over what they call themselves.

I agree it’s appalling, but the argument is with the owners in Greenwich, not the franchisees.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Can you post it on my East Dulwich Mums group on Facebook please? Thank you.

[Fassianos]

Yep, I think they're a branch.

 

More than that, they’re a franchise. As such they’ve got no control over what they call themselves.

I agree it’s appalling, but the argument is with the owners in Greenwich, not the franchisees.

 

As I mentioned we have reached out to the owner who has invited us over for a tour without acknowledging the matter or reassure us that actual care or thought will be given to it. Instead they even tried to showcase alternative versions of that said word as the harmful ones which honestly is bogus attempt to deflect responsibility.

Edited March 12, 2023 by Fassianos

[David Peckham]

Wouldn't it be better to give them the time to explain?

It seems highly unlikely that a vegan bakery, which names its range after 'strong women' is at the vanguard of the far-right.

It's a business that has grown over almost ten years in Deptford, one of the most diverse areas of southeast London, without causing offence.

I'm not a Greek speaker, and I have no dog in the fight, but by dismissing their replies, and taking to as many media channels as possible, you're guilty of the gaslighting that you accuse them of.

[Jules-and-Boo]

The issue is that the origin of a word is deemed irrelevant once that word is used in an abusive context.

It doesn't matter what's it's Greek or Latin origin was and whether it used to mean strong women or not.

There are certain words that we don't use as we know they are offensive. That list is clearly growing.

If the bakery is aware of the impact of it's badly chosen name then it should so something about it.

[Fassianos]

Their replies have been a constant repeat of the racist cake story no one below the age of 70 has heard of in Greece, now widely known as chocolate cake or the below, where we're repeatedly invited for a tour of the bakery or provided with alternatives for the slur. No acknowledgement, no thought nor reassurance that the matter will be addressed or even discussed internally. Unfortunately I don't perceive this as a professional enough response when members of the community you do business in inform your of the offence your name causes.

[David Peckham]

They've made an offer to meet the owner.

What do you want? Jam on it?

Mounting what amounts to a witch-hunt within 48 hours of first posting is a massive overreaction. Tacitly suggesting a boycott, employing multiple social and print media channels and calls to get MPs and the police involved are totally unwarranted.

You could do huge damage to a business which has taken nearly a decade to build up.

I think you owe it to the owner to listen to what they have to say.

[Penguin68]

If the bakery is part of a chain (or a franchise) you are not going to be able to get one outlet to change the name. If you don't like that, then withdrawing your custom is your only remedy. It is clear that there is at least some debate about whether the particular variant is as offensive as other variants, whether you agree with that or not.

It does seem pretty unlikely that the Dulwich outlet intends to offend anyone - although of course we now see intent to offend as being in the eye of the beholder, and not the author.

Language and usage is problematical. 'Morris' dancers were almost certainly originally Moorish dancers - and not named as such as an 'homage'. Many words originated as slurs (and many words became slurs having originated differently). When I was young, post WWII, 'Coloured' was considered polite - where 'Black' was offensive - now that has all changed. We choose our language to fit the times, of course, but where names are historical attempting to change the past is both fruitless and may be argued as 'wrong' - if we hide the past we may end up forgetting where there was offence, and falling into that trap again.

Very few people (non Greek speakers or those not from certain parts of the Islamic world where Greek is regularly spoken) would see the term as anything other than quaintly foreign, and certainly wouldn't translate it - and many names of foods are not 'nice' . There are a range of Italian and French pastries called (in translation) Nun's Tits and Nun's Farts - I can see numbers of religious finding that offensive, but nobody's changing those names.

[Fassianos]

This is not an antiquated term. This is a slur used today in Greece towards the Afro-Greek community members of which live in ED.

I personally prefer to defend members of my community from further harm rather than a business knowlignly branding itself for 10 years over a racist term (given that the owner is Greek).

We will not meet for a coffee and a slice of cake before any reassurance that the matter at hand will be dealt with care unfortunately. Otherwise what'd be the point, debate over terminology?

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%B1

I will leave it to that. As mentioned by Penguin68 everyone is free to do with their custom as they please.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Yeah...well...kaffir lime might be a real food, but I wouldn't name my business after it...

unlikely that a vegan bakery, which names its range after 'strong women' is at the vanguard of the far-right.

Why? Vegans can't be dodgy? 🤣

You know who else was a vegan, don't you?

[Penguin68]

You know who else was a vegan, don't you?

Not Hitler, if that's what you were implying.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

🎣

Looking forward to you opening up a bakery called "Nuns' Farts & Cappuccinos".

[Penguin68]

Looking forward to you opening up a bakery called "Nuns' Farts & Cappuccinos

That would be either Les pets de nonne avec Cappuccinos or les pets de sœurs avec Cappuccino- so good they named it twice, the second more common in Francophone Canada I believe. Neither would cause that much offence amongst most in ED I'm guessing.

[owlwise]

Could it possibly be the owner's surname? I can't think of any other reason why they'd use it.

[Fassianos]

Could it possibly be the owner's surname? I can't think of any other reason why they'd use it.

 

It's not https://arapina.co.uk/the-owner/ .

Edited March 12, 2023 by Fassianos