Ronan,
This thing about being light and dark skinned. This stems from the assumption that if your are dark skinned, you are associated as being a peasant, that works in the fields or being from a peasant family .
Now days even the peasants don't want to be dark, if you go out in the countryside you'll see all the field workers wrapped up to the nine's to stop them getting any darker. you've seen from the shops, just how far their prepared to go to keep there skin lighter too!! ...haha!!
It's exactly the same thing in most of the Asian, and South East Asian countries. Even here in Cyprus, we have Filipinos working out in the open, and even in 40c heat, you can't see a single area of skin, they even work in the darkest sunglasses you can buy !! ...hahaha!!
So there you have it, they don't want to be associated as being from a peasant family!!
David.....