Pickaninny is a pidgin word for a small child, possibly derived from the Portuguese pequenino. It has been used as a racial slur for African American children and a pejorative term for Aboriginal children of the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. It can also refer to a derogatory caricature of a dark-skinned child of African descent.
Postcard titled "Six Little Pickaninnies" (Detroit Publishing, 1902)
Postcard depicting eight black children, titled "Eight Little Pickaninnies Kneeling in a row, Puerto Rico", published in 1902 or 1903.
In Papua New Guinea, pikinini is the word for 'child'. Here local children are seen at Buk bilong Pikinini ('Books for Children') in Port Moresby, an independent not-for-profit organization.
Reproduction of a tin sign from 1922 advertising Picaninny Freeze, a frozen treat
Tok Pisin, often referred to by English speakers as New Guinea Pidgin or simply Pidgin, is a creole language spoken throughout Papua New Guinea. It is an official language of Papua New Guinea and the most widely used language in the country. However, in parts of the southern provinces of Western, Gulf, Central, Oro, and Milne Bay, the use of Tok Pisin has a shorter history and is less universal, especially among older people.
A 1971 reference book on Tok Pisin (referring to the language as Melanesian Pidgin).
Hotel room door signs in Papua New Guinea
