Laurence Dollimore
MALAGA will only hire black people to play the role of King Balthazar at its annual Three Kings’ Parade, it has been announced.
The City Council revealed the decision today after decades of traditionally using white locals and painting their faces black.
Each year, dozens of parades around Spain are blasted by the international community for what they see as an offensive use of blackface (an example from just last year is pictured above).
From 2025, that will change permanently in Malaga, when DANA migrant hero Mansour Konte steps in to the role of Balthazar.
The city council said: “King Balthazar will always be played by a black person who is put forward by the mayor based on merits, professional career or outstanding actions.”
Mansour Konte rose to fame this month when he was filmed bravely picking up a woman as muddy water rapidly rose during the DANA flash floods.
The 19-year-old, who lives in assisted housing after arriving from Guinea in West Africa, has been inundated with jobs following his heroic act, which went viral on social media.
Now, Malaga City Council has announced that he will play one of the Three Wise Men at the annual Three Kings’ parade on January 5.
Mansour will play the role of King Balthazar, alongside Justo Fuentes as King Melchor and Manuel Torres Tellez as King Gaspar.
As is tradition, the three men will be dressed in robes and crowns while travelling through the city on a float.
They will throw sweets out to the thousands of children and families who typically line the route of the parade, which begins at Malaga Town Hall.
