[dregz]

I looked into this quite a bit after it was brought to my attention on here last year.
No matter what spin is applied to the subject the fact is that the origins of this character lie in him being a servant and a black man. Period.
The whole 'Black from soot' thing is merely a smoke screen, an attempt at denying it's racist origins, which has been added to this tradition at
a much later date in a bid to provide an 'acceptable' excuse to those who practise it.

Climbing down a chimney doesn't give you an afro or ridiculously pronounced red lips.

Sorry folks, had to say my piece, now happy to move on.