[Vella Gonzaga]

Golliwog dolls​

Image Source: Facebook / Lori Dickson

Who used to play with golliwogs as a kid? With their colourful outfits and happy faces, these dolls were once cherished by many Aussie kids. Sadly, they've been pulled from shelves due to concerns over racial stereotypes. Do you have fond memories of playing with Golliwogs? Share them here.

 

[Iggydi]

I follow a website for painted rocks and one of the ladies painted a golliwog rock. As that was her favourite doll when she was little. She painted bees and butterflies plus barbie dolls on the rocks as well and she got abused for painting the golliwog rock. It’s really sad that what she was doing for pleasure and happy memories turned nasty

 

[PattiB]

I adored my golliwog doll when I was a small child and I also had a black doll to play with and neither of them turned me into a racist. It was a good learning experience about people having different coloured skin being the same as us on the inside. Skin colour is only the packaging on the outside.

 

[Margaret 9]

I not only played with them I also made them for others who wanted one! None were intended as a comic representative of any racial group they were a plaything, just as any other doll was! But then, of course, political correctness was born and suddenly everything was an insult to someone else so had to be banned!

 

[thomas]

not allowed to call them that now

 

[Margaret 9]

not allowed to call them that now

YES I know that....not that the name ridiculed any racial group, it was a name!

 

[Jo Piper3]

Very silly racist assumption, just like Coon cheese having to change its name.

 

[mOiOz]

We had to knit one as part of our Home Economics school curriculum.
My mum, who was a proficient knitter, used to knit loads of them.
PS: You can still get patterns online to knit, crochet or sew them.

 

[PLK]

My Golly Doll was called Molly. My Mum bought it from a CWA fete. Molly was repaired many times and finally it fell apart from my hugging her so much.

 

[Cateyes]

Yes, I had a cute golly wog as a kid. I recently came across some golly wogs when on hols in Tassie.

 

[PLK]

Yes, I had a cute golly wog as a kid. I recently came across some golly wogs when on hols in Tassie.

Always thought my Molly the Golly was very special. I saw some in Melbourne CBD last year. They were expensive though.

 

[Jest]

i grew up with golliwogs 84 years ago. what has gone wrong with the world? so many are just too precious.

 

[PLK]

i grew up with golliwogs 84 years ago. what has gone wrong with the world? so many are just too precious.

I agree the world has enough to worry about.

 

[Jest]

the world is on autopilot and has been for zillions of years. We as little people are not going to make one iota of difference. the ones who want change are all the fat cats. Bowen is just a stupid individual. My views and thank you for yours.

 

[Jennylolo]

I had a black doll and baby. Grandma had a golliwog we all adored. But there was nothing racial about it at all. I grew up with people of different skin colours. Never thought twice about it.