Rostock in turmoil: Kita now celebrates horses and ponies” instead of Indians”!

Rostock in turmoil: Kita now celebrates horses and ponies” instead of Indians”!

In a Rostock daycare center, the decision to rename a summer festival that was originally planned as an “Indian Festival” is causing a lot of excitement. After parents criticized the term “Indian”, the daycare management responded consistently and apologized. The new motto “Horses and Ponies” was chosen to better reflect the diversity and cultural significance of the indigenous peoples of North America. This decision was confirmed by a spokeswoman for the provider to the “Ostsee-Zeitung”, as Tagesspiegel reported.

The renaming of the festival was not welcomed by everyone. Many parents and grandparents showed no understanding and described the measure as “nonsense”. In particular, Daniel Peters, state leader of the CDU, said on X that “political excessive correctness” was getting on many people’s nerves. He advocated that children should continue to play “Cowboys and Indians.” In contrast, the Schwerin left-wing faction supported the renaming and pointed out that there was no “Ban on Indians”.

Cultural sensitivity in daycare centers

One aspect that emerges from the discussion about renaming the festival is the increasing diversity in German daycare centers. In recent years, many children with migrant or refugee backgrounds have found their way into the facilities. However, these “migrants” are not a homogeneous group and bring with them different experiences, religious affiliations and cultural backgrounds. Language barriers often represent a major challenge in parenting work that needs to be overcome. As Westermann explains, parents from different cultures sometimes do not know exactly what is happening in kindergarten and may have mistrust of the educational staff.

To promote positive relationships between professionals and parents, it is crucial to invest time and commitment in these exchanges. Welcome signs in different languages ​​and multilingual parent information can be signs of openness. In addition, offers such as joint parent-child afternoons should help to strengthen contact between different cultures and create understanding about cultural differences.

A successful example of this is home visits, which can help to build trust but should not be forced. Short conversations when the children are dropped off and picked up also help to strengthen the relationship between the daycare center and the parents' home. In these conversations, misunderstandings can be avoided if the parents' cultural perspectives are taken into account.

A look into the future

The renaming of the “Indian Festival” in Rostock can be seen as an example of a broader trend that strives for careful use of cultural names. This does not happen without resistance, as the reactions show. It remains to be seen how daycare centers will continue to deal with cultural diversity - they are faced with the challenge of positioning themselves in relation to the needs and wishes of parents as well as the sensitive task of raising children in a diverse society.