Mexico (AFP)
The Barbie doll has embodied many characters, from the businesswoman to the astronaut, to the rock singer. In tribute to a Mexican tradition, she is now a ... skeleton.
Inspired by the famous Day of the Dead, this new Barbie, unveiled Thursday in Mexico, represents the character of Catrina, female skeleton dressed in rich colorful clothes, become a symbol of local popular culture.
This special edition, inspired by a character created around 1912 by the Mexican cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada, is a "tribute to Mexico, its traditions and its people," according to the manufacturer Mattel.
The doll, which costs 1,750 Mexican pesos (81 euros), wears a dress adorned with colorful flowers, and its long black and blue hair are decorated with butterflies.
The figure of the Catrina was popularized by a fresco of the Mexican painter Diego Rivera (1996-1957), dating from 1947 and entitled "Dream of a Saturday afternoon in Alameda Park". The Day of the Dead is celebrated festive in Mexico between late October and early November.
"That this tradition is recognized with this doll, the most famous in the world, is something that makes me proud," told AFP the Mexican toy collector Jaqueline Vidal
The creation of this doll, however, aroused controversy among some Mexicans, who denounced a "cultural appropriation" and the monetization of ancient traditions.
"There are no elements that refer to traditional indigenous outfits, more than plagiarism against indigenous peoples, it would be plagiarism against the rights holders of Guadalupe Posada and Diego Rivera," said Octavio Murillo, an official of the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI).
More than a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide since its launch by Mattel 60 years ago.
© 2019 AFP