Jonah from Tonga deemed 'racist' by Polynesian community

A new BBC Three television show has been branded ‘racist’ by members of the Austalian Tongan community.

Jonah from Tonga, which is the brainchild of comedian Chris Lilley, tells the tale of an unruly teenage schoolboy in Australia.

Lilley wears brown-face make-up and speaks in a strong Polynesian accent to depict Jonah, who previously featured in his cult series Summer Heights High.

The show, co-produced by ABC, BBC and HBO, aired on UK screens last week.

But the series has upset members of the Polynesian community, sparking social media campaign #MyNameisNOTJonah hitting out against alleged stereotypes of the show.

Instagram user Salote Taukalau posted an image on Instagram holding a poster reading: “I am a proud Tongan. I’ve never been suspended.”

“And I’ve never been to prison. And I’m in my final year studying towards my Bachelor Degree.”

In a similar post, Leitu Havea, wrote on Facebook: “'This post is to stand up to the stereotypes of how Pacific Islanders are being perceived as within the TV show #JonahFromTonga.”

The post has been liked by more than 600 people, with people praising the teenager for standing up for Polynesian people.

It was also shared by former The Voice Australia singer Prinnie Stevens, who is also Polynesian.

She said: “I can't tell you how strongly I believe in this message. I have always despised the stereotypes that society put upon us as Tongans/Polynesian people.”

Professor Helen Lee, head of La Trobe University's department of sociology and anthropology, told Radio Australia’s Pacific beat she was horrified by the show’s portrayal of Pacific youth.

She said: “I just think it's dreadful. It's just awful. It's creating a terrible stereotype that's just deeply offensive to Tongans.