Traditionally, Christmas (sinterklaasavond) is celebrated on the 5th of December in The Netherlands, but they also celebrate the 25th to a lesser extent. So like in any overly westernized country, the weeks leading up to this event are filled with festive themes of mini ice-skating rinks set up, shops adorned with tinsel and holly and white people painting themselves like minstrels.
Sorry? White people painting themselves to look like black face characters? That has nothing to do with the Christmas we grew up with! Kaushik and I came across this tradition when walking around the streets of Haarlem and were confronted with minstrel like characters, parading around, supposedly celebrating the coming of Sinterklaas. We laughed and looked around awkwardly, realizing no one else was finding this situation a little odd and noticed little kids had also painted their faces black.
What Kaushik and I saw
The Netherlands (and a few other European countries including Belgium) tell a story about Santa Claus (Sinterklaas) which is much different to the one celebrated in other western countries. To be fair, “we” stole their idea and simply changed it.
Sinterklaas/Saint Nicholas was a Greek bishop of Myra, Turkey and became the saint of children due to stories which tell of him resurrecting children from their death. He looks more regale, like a pope, rather than “our” Santa Claus who is a little more casual and less concerned with his figure. They do however share similarities of long white beards, the wearing of red, giving out presents and probably bad breath (when I was little, any Santa Claus I would recite my Christmas wish list to had terrible breath!)
Sinterklaas (image sourced from wikipedia)
Anyway, on to the controversial side of the celebration of Sinterklaas. The controversy comes in the form of Zwarte Piet (Dutch for ‘Black Pete’), who in this modern day is considered to be Sinterklaas’ happy helper. But if you research the history of this celebration, you will discover that Zwarte Piet was a name for the devil during the middle ages. Zwarte Piet, a supposed devil character, was shackled by Sinterklaas and made his slave on Saint Nicholas’ eve. Zwarte Piet would kidnap any naughty children and take them to Spain.
Not only is the history of Zwarte Piet a little on the racist side, but their costumes/make-up also scream minstrel like I mentioned earlier.
Zwarte Piet. Aparantly the kids love him. Personally, I would be shit scared.
Typical minstrel make-up...a remarkable resemblence to Zwarte Piet (minus the cliche afro)
So for an “outsider” like myself witnessing this tradition, it is a simple equation of adding up a history of slavery plus a minstrel style make-up for me to come up with a solution of racism.
On the other hand, most local Dutch people will defend this tradition as fun and just something for the kids. Some also explain that the make-up is simply soot from climbing down chimneys and delivering presents.
To anyone who uses that as an explanation, I ask you to take these 3 steps.
Step 1: Find a chimney
Step 2: Climb down it
Step 3: Look in to a mirror and observe
Did you gather soot on your face? Yes, a little. Did you magically grow an afro and bright red lips? No, it seems I didn’t.
From reading forum topics about Zwarte Piet debates, it just seems like Dutch people who defend this tradition cannot see why it is so racist. Would they use an overly characterized Jewish person from the holocaust as part of a fun-filled festival? No, they wouldn’t because it is distasteful and an issue close to their hearts. I feel like they should also be sensitive to the topic of slavery, but when they refuse to see these connections it just seems impossible.
In their defense, why should they have to change their traditions for foreigners who move here and make a fuss over something they have celebrated for years and years?
In my defense, because Black people live here too. Why should they be reminded of a horrendous past? You would think The Netherlands would be able to understand, but in their eyes, it is foreigners like myself who don’t understand.
A solution? I feel that Zwarte Piet could just turn in to “Helpen Piet”. The same joyful character dressed in the same colorful clothes who hands out presents to kids but isn’t tied to racist routes.
He could be anyone of any color and would still make the kids happy, which is what most Dutch people say is the best thing about Zwarte Piet. So what’s the big problem with change if the kids would still be happy?
Another option would be to keep Zwarte Piet but make him more dignified like this in advertising:
Photo credit to http://www.awfulgood.com/
Rather than like this:
Added note: Any Dutch person reading this has every right to think “Who is this girl? She lives here for 2 months and thinks she knows what’s best for our country?”. But I also have the right to an opinion, hooray for democracy!
Tags: christmas, culture, minstrel, racism, sinterklaas, slavery, The Netherlands, traditions, zwarte piet
November 26, 2008 at 6:16 pm |
I love your analysis, I do. We are working on it
Some town have coloured Pieten (green, red, yellow).
Would you mind if I make a link to this on my Dutch facebook page [hyves]?
November 26, 2008 at 7:19 pm |
Ohh thank you Margot, I hope it didn’t offend you! I understand not all Dutch people agree with the Zwarte Piet tradition, I hope I made that clear in my post
I guess also my shock to this tradition is a compliment to The Netherlands in a way, because usually they’re so accepting of other cultures.
The coloured Pieten is an interesting idea, but I hear that unfortunately it hasn’t caught on.
Sure, of course you can link to this from your facebook!
November 26, 2008 at 11:50 pm |
My favourite post so far.
“…“our” Santa Claus who is a little more casual and less concerned with his figure”
He really has let himself go. Maybe if his job didn’t involve sitting down for such long periods. Just saying. I think it falls well outside of occupational health and safety guidelines.
November 27, 2008 at 12:24 am |
Oh, de Pieten. So wrong!
I hope they know this can’t last forever. This can only end awkwardly at best, hideously at worst.
November 27, 2008 at 12:36 am |
well put
November 27, 2008 at 6:58 am |
I agree with you 100%…..it is so obviously inappropriate that even someone on a Day Trip to Holland would be totally justified in crying foul. My kids do find the ‘minstrels’ scary and they are….I remember avoiding going in a department store in the Hague because I couldn’t stand looking at a human size dummy of a grotesque Zwarte Piet they had suspended from the ceiling by the escalators. I only ever spent one Christmas in Holland (my first) – since then I have always returned to the UK or gone elsewhere.
November 27, 2008 at 10:10 am |
Yes, Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet, it’s all magic. Zwarte Piet slips through the chimneys, and manages to keep his clothes tidy, while his skin becomes deep black.
It’s what every child believes, though it actually isn’t an issue. Many theories: he might be an Italian chimney sweeper (he wears a rod), or an orphan that was helped by Sinterklaas, or a Moor. Every explanation has its historical roots. The theologians are struggling with this, but normal Dutch people don’t, because they don’t care.
You think it’s impossible, this magic trick? But how then do you feel about the credibility of a man more than 1500 years old, who rides on the roofs during the night? Do you believe it?
I do!
Some things one should not approach with deadly rationalism. In fact by rationalizing the Zwarte Piet trick one does exactly the opposite of the intended: turning Zwarte Piet into a charicature of a black-skinned man.
But it’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Zwarte Piet is a living fantasy, nothing more, nothing less, and much loved by both childeren and their parents.
November 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm |
I’m sorry, but Win didn’t win me over with her argument……….At least ‘our’ Father Christmas doesn’t have connections to the devil or slavery.
Our jolly fat Father is all about bringing “Ho Ho” happiness to one & all. The worst he can do is cross naughty kids names off his Christmas present list. He doesn’t resort to his devil slave dragging them off to Spain for their ‘munchkin misdemeanours’. I can see how that would scare the bejeebus out of Dutch children, plus their parents would play on that to encourage their kids to behave. Subsequently the result would be a ‘kinder suprise’ – no pun intended (yeah, sure)
On closing, my Christmas wish is for peace, love & happiness to all on earth & beyond.
November 27, 2008 at 1:03 pm |
I copy what I wrote on Expatica…
Children will accept anything that is packaged well, we just have to make sure it’s done the right way and helps educate them without the racist connotations. If children grow up accepting ZP then quite obviously as an adult they will think there’s nothing wrong. Our children are what we educate them to be… if well tell them it’s right then they’ll think it’s right even if it’s wrong. It could so easily turn into something worse as the seed is sown. Children/teens and even adults will use anything that comes to mind to bully… and I’m sure it wouldn’t take much for a society to swing if a government whipped their people up, as we have seen so many times in the far and recent past when lame politicans end up being replaced by men/women with powerful minds. Shouldn’t we be doing all we can now to eradicate all forms of racism in whatever form it comes in, even if it’s subtle…
I think, bearing in mind what’s happened in the past, particularly the last 100 years or so… the ending of WWI forcing/squeezing Germany to pay reparations without helping/supporting them to get to pay them in any way ending up in their desperation and anger and the inevitable start of WWII, the Nazis blaming the Jews and other minority groups for the mess they got themselves in (or were pushed in) murdering as many of them as they could… that pushing any minority group from any country within any country into a corner or into the fore front in a negative way will end up having repercussions.
I never used to see ‘The Black and White Minstrel Show’ or the ‘Golliwog’ as racist when I was growing up because in my time it was acceptable, it isn’t now and hasn’t been for the past few decades or more.
I also grew up believing all gay people were camp/effeminate/girly which as a consquence I felt somewhat of an oddity as I never fitted in. I could never understand why a friend I had at the time would suddenly become camp the moment he went into a gay bar, may be he wanted to just fit in. Which is what many people do if they want to fit in, be a part of it… follow the sheep. Because it’s so much easier, to sit back, do nothing, to help make a better society for our people to live in, where we all just get on with each other…
November 27, 2008 at 1:10 pm |
Wesley, what you mention about kids growing up with something and accepting it because adults say it’s okay, makes a good point. It explains why lots of adults in the Netherlands have trouble seeing the racism in ZP.
November 27, 2008 at 4:55 pm |
Sorry Monica, but Zwarte Piet has no connection with slavery. Unless you are referring to one of the old ancient stories in which Zwarte Piet actually was a freed slave – freed by Sinterklaas, that is.
There is also a story, one of the many, in which he was connected with the devil.
So what? Children living now don’t read books about ancient history. Zwarte Piet is their friend, and they believe that he is black from the chimneys. They are generally not afraid for him as you suggest, though the very small often show a mix of admiration and excitement – I remember this myself very well, and also saw it with my own children.
All childeren love Zwarte Piet.
And unlike what you write, Zwarte Piet is hardly used anymore as a pedagogic “device”. This practice disappeared some 40 years ago.
November 28, 2008 at 12:39 am |
I don’t see how being taken to Spain would be a punishment for being naughty. I want to go and now I know how I can get there for free!
November 28, 2008 at 9:08 am |
Haha that’s a valid point, Kylie.
November 29, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
Excellent post! I’m not that well-versed on the Christmas traditions of other countries…this was very interesting.
I think you’ve expressed yourself well.
December 7, 2008 at 2:13 pm |
I’d like to point out that Sinterklaas is in no way connected to Christmas. They’re as related as easter and the 4th of july. They just happen to be in the same month.
On the note of Zwarte Piet, you say that he IS the devil or a slave. There are many, many stories which can be traced back to the middle ages. None of them are conclusive about the origins of Zwarte Piet. He MIGHT be a slave, but that story also mentions he is free, and chose to remain with Sinterklaas as a friend. He MIGHT be a caricature of the devil, and in the middle ages black people were often seen as devils. Which could explain why Zwarte Piet looks the way he does. The point is that no one knows where exactly he came from, so you cannot say that he is a caricature and devised to mock black people. He most certainly is not.
Erik Asp wrote two blogs about this, one about the Sinterklaas feast, and one about Zwarte Piet, I suggest you read these as he explains really well how most, if not all, Dutch people feel about this (which includes, by the way, all black people I know, and I know quite a few black people, many of whom are family, and none of them are offended. They can seperate a ancient tradition form the middle ages from modern racism).
http://www.ericasp.com/blog.php/2008/12/05/misunderstandings-perpetuated
and
http://www.ericasp.com/blog.php/2008/11/12/the-joys-of-holland-s-holidays
December 8, 2008 at 8:01 pm |
Hi Anneke,
Good point that there are many stories out there about the origins of Zwarte Piet.
But the fact remains that most Dutch people continue to portray Zwarte Piete the way they portrayed black people back when slavery was common (minstrel, awful caricature advertising). Simple as that.
It seems self righteous that you (and others) just can’t see that fact, but I realize it is completely pointless trying to push this point because people who love Zwarte Piet just don’t want to see the negative side, especially seeing he is a part of many childhoods and brings happiness.
I honestly give up on this argument now because
a) I have only lived here for a few months and can’t expect a tradition to be changed
b) If black people find it offensive then they can make a fuss
c) The intention of Zwarte Piet isn’t to offend, I think it’s just pure naivety that Dutch people can’t see the racism which people like myself point out
So there, I have put my two cents out there and by doing so I discover it is a completely pointless argument. But this doesn’t mean I disagree with the tradition because yes, it still unsettles me and always will.
December 26, 2008 at 9:21 pm |
Would you guys ever get a life? I’m so utterly pissed off at everything and everyone being offended by everything and everyone else. This is a Dutch tradition. If you dont like it, dont go to Holand or go back to whatever colony you came from.
You’re inviting a major blowback from people like myself who are sick and tired of this kind of though control
December 27, 2008 at 1:11 pm |
Hey Savant,
Ever moved over seas? Generally you will find SOMETHING beautiful/weird/offensive/different/outrageous/inspiring in comparison to your own culture.
That’s why I started this blog, as a medium to communicate my experiences of living in a different country and culture. Zwarte Piet is a tradition I have found offensive and it’s as simple as that. So you’re saying that if you move to a new country, you are completely immune to finding something different or offensive? Or if you do find it offensive, you aren’t allowed to express your opinion?
Then please tell me, what is the point of traveling?
Sure, I’d be a dick if I complained about every single thing. But if you had bothered to vaguely skim through other posts you would notice I write about the lovely things I’ve also come across in Holland and other countries.
But hey, I get the feeling….it’s your “thing” or “theme” to be pissed off at everything and everyone, so be my guest.
January 16, 2009 at 11:48 am |
I think Savant should go by a different name, as the definition of ’savant’ is ‘a learned person’, someone I expect who would know how to spell ‘Holland’ & ‘thought’.
By the way Savant its not thought control, its simply expressing an opinion or freedom of speech.
Dont worry Meekins, as you’ve found some people in this world don’t know how to smell the roses, they just get caught up in complaining about the thorns instead.