Friedrichshain Children's Park: Why the ‚Teepee Village‘ Perpetuates Colonial Racism

When you visit the children's playground in Volkspark Friedrichshain, you might get the feeling that something isn't quite right. It seems kind of strange. It has a bit of a *Croods* vibe. It seems kind of… old-fashioned. So, let's talk about it.

Historical Context of the Friedrichshain Public Park

The Volkspark Friedrichshain is one of Berlin’s oldest public parks and was established in 1848 as the city’s first municipal green space. Its creation was closely linked to broader 19th-century European ideas about urban planning, public health, and social order. Parks were conceived not only as places of recreation but also as tools for shaping behavior and conveying social values.

In rapidly industrializing cities such as Berlin, green spaces were intended to provide relief from overcrowded living conditions while also fostering discipline and a sense of civic identity. However, these spaces were not neutral. They reflected the ideologies of their time, including colonial and hierarchical worldviews that placed European culture at the center of „civilization.“.

After World War II, Volkspark Friedrichshain became part of East Berlin and was rebuilt according to socialist planning principles. Nevertheless, many older design elements and symbolic representations remained in place or were reinterpreted, rather than being critically examined.

Children's playgrounds, in particular, often incorporated themes that reflected romanticized or exoticized notions of non-European cultures. At the time, these design choices were rarely questioned, as they were viewed as imaginative or educational rather than ideologically driven.

When we encounter elements such as a „teepee village“ today in a space with such a complex historical context, it becomes clear that this is not a matter of chance. Rather, such elements are part of a long-standing tradition of embedding cultural narratives—often shaped by colonial perspectives—into public spaces.

The historical context of Friedrichshain Public Park helps us understand how past ideologies continue to influence contemporary spaces to this day, often in subtle yet powerful ways.

What is a tipi village?

You may be familiar with this concept from old Western movies. Tipis were used by some Indigenous groups as part of their way of life, but it’s crucial to understand that Indigenous cultures are incredibly rich and diverse.

They have a history that spans thousands of years, encompassing many different ways of life, and the teepee is just a small part of that history.

Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation

The distinction between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation is key to understanding why certain depictions can be problematic. Cultural appreciation means engaging with another culture in a respectful and informed way, often with the involvement or consent of people from that culture. It emphasizes learning, exchange, and recognition of context.

Cultural appropriation, on the other hand, occurs when elements of a marginalized culture are taken out of context and used by members of a dominant culture, often for entertainment or aesthetic purposes, without understanding or respecting their meaning.

In the case of a „teepee village“ on a playground, the problem is that a specific cultural element is taken out of its historical and cultural context and turned into a general symbol of „indigenous life.“.

Tipis were used by certain Indigenous groups in North America, but they are by no means representative of all Indigenous cultures. Portraying them as a universal symbol erases the diversity and complexity of Indigenous societies.

Furthermore, there is a risk that such portrayals, if created without the involvement of indigenous communities, will reinforce stereotypes rather than promote understanding.

What is intended to be playful or educational may instead reproduce oversimplified and inaccurate narratives. This is particularly significant in children's environments, as early impressions can shape long-term perceptions.

By distinguishing between appropriation and appreciation, we can begin to rethink how we engage with cultural elements in public spaces. The goal is not to avoid cultural exchange, but to shape it in a way that respects the people and stories behind these forms of cultural expression.

However, depictions of Indigenous people—such as the „teepee village“ on this playground—can reinforce harmful stereotypes. To understand why, we need to take a step back and examine the colonial ideologies from which such depictions often stem.

Scientific Racism and Its Legacy

Scientific racism emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries, when European scholars attempted to classify human populations using methods from the natural sciences. Figures such as Carl von Linné and, later, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach divided people into „races“ based on physical characteristics such as skin color.

However, these classifications were not neutral; they were tied to value judgments that placed white Europeans at the top of a supposed hierarchy and classified other groups as inferior.

These ideas were further developed through pseudoscientific practices such as craniometry, in which skull sizes were measured to substantiate alleged intellectual differences between „races.“ Such theories were widespread at the time and served to justify colonialism, slavery, and other forms of oppression. They provided a „scientific“ basis for the notion that non-European people were less civilized, less intelligent, and closer to nature—ideas that continue to resonate in stereotypes to this day.

Although scientific racism has long been disproved, its legacy continues to this day. Many of today's prejudices and portrayals have their roots in these outdated theories.

The infantilization of Indigenous people—that is, their portrayal as childlike or primitive—can be traced back, for example, to these early classifications. When such images appear in children’s environments, there is a risk that these harmful associations will be passed on to new generations.

Understanding the history of scientific racism is crucial to recognizing how deeply these ideas are embedded in cultural representations. It enables us to critically examine seemingly harmless images and uncover the assumptions they contain.

The Roots of a Problematic Narrative

In 1735, Carl Linnaeus, known as the father of taxonomy, classified humans into categories based on „races“: white, red, yellow, and black. Indigenous peoples were referred to as the „red race“ and, like the other groups except for white Europeans, were classified as „mentally underdeveloped.“.

The Berlin Conference and the „Scramble for Africa“

The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 represents a pivotal moment in the history of European colonialism. Convened by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the conference brought together the major European powers to settle trade and territorial claims in Africa.

It is noteworthy that no African representatives were invited. The result was the formal partition of the continent in the so-called „Scramble for Africa,“ in which European nations divided Africa among themselves without regard for existing ethnic, cultural, or political structures.

This division concerned not only land but also control over people and resources. The conference legitimized the notion that European powers had the right to occupy and govern African territories, thereby reinforcing a worldview in which non-European societies were regarded as inferior or incapable of self-determination.

The effects of the Berlin Conference are still evident today. Arbitrarily drawn borders continue to contribute to political and social conflicts in many parts of Africa. At the same time, the ideologies that underpinned colonialism continue to shape global perceptions to this day. Simplified representations—such as the reduction of entire cultures to symbols like huts or teepees—can be traced back to this era of imperial thinking.

German Colonial History

The German colonial history, although it was often less prominent in public discourse than that of other European powers, played a significant role in the development of racial ideologies that continue to have an impact to this day. Between 1884 and 1919, the German Empire controlled territories in Africa and the Pacific, including what are now Namibia, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Togo.

These colonies were the scene of exploitation, forced labor, and extreme violence. Particularly well-known is the genocide of the Herero and Nama, which is considered the first genocide of the 20th century.

Colonial rule was justified by ideologies that portrayed Europeans as superior and non-Europeans as primitive. These ideas were not limited to the colonies; they also shaped German society through education, the media, and cultural representations.

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This is where things start to get particularly problematic. Indigenous people were infantilized and compared to children, portrayed as wild, loud, and uncivilized. On a playground, children behave in a playful, energetic, and chaotic manner, which at first glance seems harmless. But in this context, this comparison reinforces a colonial mindset of inferiority.

What looks like an imaginative playground thus becomes a tool of cultural erasure and stereotyping.

Racism in Everyday Life in Germany

Racism in Germany is often understood solely as overt discrimination, but it also exists in more subtle, normalized forms in everyday life. Traditions such as Carnival clearly illustrate this. Costumes and performances often rely on stereotypical images.

However, these seemingly harmless practices have historical roots in colonialism. European settlers committed genocide against indigenous peoples in the Americas.

These cultural markers—whether a song or a playground—trivialize the history of violence.