The Wisconsin State Fair is known for its exciting rides, scrumptious food, and refreshing drinks. But recently, a peculiar incident stirred up quite a commotion. The spotlight fell on a cow named ‘Jigaboo,’ which received an award at the fair.
This name choice triggered anger among Americans because ‘Jigaboo’ is a hurtful word used to insult African-Americans, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The exhibitor of the cow, Tianda Hildebrant, along with the State Fair, quickly issued apologies to the black community for the insensitive choice of the cow’s name. They recognized the mistake and expressed regret, as per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
What Does Jigaboo mean?
This year’s Wisconsin State Fair began on August 3 and is scheduled until August 13. On August 5, a tweet from the fair’s official account showcased the cow named ‘Jigaboo’ winning an award in the Top Senior 3-year-old category. Shockingly, ‘Jigaboo’ is a derogatory slur aimed at black people, according to Webster.com.
The term ‘Jigaboo’ is an unsettling combination of two words: ‘Jig’ and ‘bugaboo.’ ‘Jig’ has been used offensively since the late 18th century, and ‘bugaboo’ refers to something that terrifies or scares.
David Blake from Pewaukee was enjoying a leisurely stroll at the 172nd Wisconsin State Fair with his friends and family. During his visit, he stumbled upon an unusual name assigned to a cow – ‘Jigaboo.’ Intrigued by this puzzling choice, he snapped a photo and shared it online, as reported by WISN.
Blake expressed his disbelief and said,
“It’s one of those words, one of those few words that should be totally off-limits. I mean, there’s a big one that we all know, and I think it’s on the same level.”
He also criticized the State Fair, stating,
“Disgusting, and definitely not something people should be using. And shame on the State Fair. I’d assume there’d be policies in place where they kind of look at the names and everything, why this was allowed to get through.”
Community activist Vaun Mayes brought the incident to light on August 11, sparking a wave of public outrage online.
Responding to the mounting criticism, the cow’s name was swiftly changed from the offensive ‘Jigaboo’ to the more innocent-sounding ‘Puzzle.’ Some speculate that this change might be an acknowledgment of the blunder, according to WISN. Additionally, the State Fair disqualified exhibitor Tianda Hildebrant from the competition.
The Hildebrant family took responsibility and offered their sincere apology to the black community, stating,
“We now recognize that the use of this word is unacceptable and harmful. Immediately upon learning the meaning of this term, we changed the cow’s name. We are committed to educating ourselves further.”
Wisconsin State Fair’s Firm Response
Tess Kerkson, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin State Fair, released an official statement addressing the controversy. She asserted,
“We do not tolerate or condone this behavior and took swift and deliberate action to rectify this situation. The animal has been removed from State Fair Park. The exhibitor who showed this animal was part of our junior show and is also no longer at State Fair Park.”
In light of the uproar, Kerkson explained that the Wisconsin State Fair plans to thoroughly review the entry process to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident involving the cow’s name, ‘Jigaboo,’ serves as a stark reminder that words can carry significant weight and impact. The Wisconsin State Fair is taking steps to learn from this incident and ensure a more respectful and inclusive environment in the years to come.
