I loved watching the Smurfs when I was little (I didn’t know it was a Belgium comic created by Peyo in 1958 – I just knew the cartoon). I thought Papa Smurf was kind, wise, and a wonderful father figure. I liked that so many different kinds of people lived peacefully together. However, it always bothered me that only one female was represented. In 1981, that was remedied with the introduction of Sassette, and later, more girls were added.
I used to feel for Gargamel. I couldn’t completely accept him as evil. The fact he loved Azrael, created Smurfette, and even helped the Smurfs at times, I just felt like he was lonely, grumpy, and misunderstood. So many people in the owrld are. Perhaps that was the purpose of this character – to help kids see things aren’t as simple as good or bad / righteous or evil. People and life are more complicated than that.
So, every year, on the Saturday closest to June 25th, we celebrate Global Smurf Day.
