(英会話リスニングスクリプト)
The MisDela doll has become a hit in South
Africa not only for her fat cheeks and chubby arms - the
plastic baby doll, named for former President Nelson Mandela,
is black.
The doll is a dream come true for a white
South African woman who 10 years ago wanted to create an
ethnic African doll to replace the Caucasian-featured black
and brown toys then available in stores.
"I wanted a truly African doll,"
said Judith Oosthuizen, 61, whose own love of her childhood
dolls drew her to create something for black children.
"There was no legitimate black baby
doll," she said.
"I just thought about representing
a doll to African children as a reflection of their own
beauty."
Inspired by Mandela, who was "the man
of the moment," Oosthuizen decided to name her dream
doll "MisDela."
She commissioned an artist to make a doll
after looking at African children.
Eight years after being inspired to make
MissDela, Oosthuizen reached a deal with a South African
manufacturer, Prima Toys, to produce the doll.
Now thousands of copies of the 40 cm doll
are retailing for 100 rand ($16) each.
Dressed in traditional African outfits,
MisDela has proved so popular since it arrived in stores
two weeks ago even lawmakers have made orders.
A church in a black subub near Cape Town
is using a MisDela doll as the baby Jesus for its nativity
scene this year.
"It has to be a symbol of how far our
country has come," said Tracy Diamond, the marketing
manager for Prima Toys.
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