The Dutch Love of Blackface
The Shallow Man is an elegant but aged fossil. I’ve been around since the days when Madonna still made decent music when Mick Jagger claimed that he wouldn’t continue performing once he reached the age of forty. I can recall a young boy who used to sing and dance with his four brothers, whose talent shone out even then. I remember when having a color television set was a sign of affluence and can also recall when it was considered the height of cutting edge and dangerous comedy for a group of white men to apply boot polish on their faces and perform as people of color. That was a long, long, long time ago, which brings me to the subject of this article.
Every November, The Shallow Man, a hero to some, an annoyance for others, is visited and emailed by dismayed Expats, who contact him in deep shock and ask: “Shallow Man, what in the name of Bob Marley is going on here in the Netherlands? I just went to lunch and was surrounded by a group of white guys blacked up, with curly wigs and red lips. Was that some kind of demonstration about slave labor or people smuggling from Africa?”
Being the courageous person that I am, I will break the conspiracy of silence that overcomes this country every November to December. I will risk the unrighteous fury of the collective hordes of weasels, who every year attempt in new and creative ways to justify the unjustifiable. Yes, the Shallow Man will invoke the spirit of Aretha and the late great Otis Redding and demand some R E S P E C T and dignity for people of color and damn the consequences. The things I do for my readers!
Sinterklaas
The Shallow Man is so incandescent with rage, that I will not even attempt to explain the annual Dutch celebration in too much detail. To summarize, quite simply an old man with a white beard arrives in the Netherlands every year together with his crew, a group of black faced, curly haired slaves who help him do his bidding. This event is huge here and is bigger than Christmas.
Institutionalized Black Face
Albert Heijn, Blokker, Kruidvat and many other big Dutch chains happily participate in the annual institutionalized black face event that is Sinterklaas. Take a look at the photo below.
Hilarious, I’m white but I’m blacked up!!
The increasing globalization of the world has in recent years finally reached the Netherlands. This has led to some slightly embarrassed revisionism on the part of the Dutch about their annual Black Face Fest. Apparently, the reason why the faces of Sinterklaas’ helpers are black is due to them going down the chimney to deliver presents to good kids or beatings to naughty ones.
I’m sure that the image of people of color, carrying out a home invasion to beat kids hasn’t led to any racial trauma at all. But I digress. So if we are to believe the wise people of Dutch science, apparently if you start out white and blonde, sliding down a chimney will not only turn your skin black, but will give you bright red lips, and black curly hair. It will also affect the way you talk and give you a kind of mock Surinamese accent. It will make you jump around like an idiot and your eyes will roll as well.
The Shallow Man was never particularly good at physics unless it involved a mirror, but I have to question the scientific credibility of this explanation.
It’s a Tradition, Hoor!
Whenever sensitive Expats such as myself question the annual let’s-black-up-and-be-jolly season, out come the weasels to defend the indefensible.
Common weasel words used to defend blacking up:
“It’s a tradition.”
So was lynching in the deep south of the USA, luckily the tradition stopped.
“All the black kids in Holland love it.”
Yes, of course, kids are kids and are too young to get offended and look forward to the presents.
“All the black people I know enjoy it.”
The one black person you know and probably speak once a year to is humoring you and would prefer not to have that discussion when he knows your views.
“It’s a tradition.”
Err, you said that already.
“If you don’t like it, you should go back to your own country.”
Ah, the rational argument of the desperate.
Zwarte Piet Has Nothing To Do with the American Tradition of Blackface
Absolutely not. I present the following Exhibits to the jury.
Exhibit 1. Zwarte Piet
Exhibit 2. Black face American style from the 1930’s.
Trick question. What do the two photos in Exhibits 1 and 2 have in common?
Time To Put Up or Shut Up
I’ve heard many weasel- like attempts to justify the essential requirement to have hordes of white people wearing curly wigs, blacking up their faces and wearing bright red color on their lips. None of them are even remotely credible. Like Lynching, wife beating, slavery and racial discrimination in general, Zwarte Piet is unacceptable and dehumanizes people of color into figures of fun. Trying to cling onto some bull manure story about dressing up as the helpers of Sinterklaas is just nonsense.
If the Dutch are such sticklers for historical accuracy, why do I do not see Dutch people nailed to a cross at Easter time? Or chopping off their ears on Van Gogh’s birthday? The reason this pernicious and demeaning event continues every year is that people find it fun. Fun to black up. Fun to laugh at people blacked up, and it’s ok because just about everyone in this country finds it Gezellig (Pleasant) and Grappig (Fun). Why not just admit it and stop the pseudo-historical justification that has no moral grounding at all?
No morons in black face were hurt during the writing of this article.
This post kinda makes it seem like all people of color are totally offended by this. I’m a foreigner living in the Netherlands, I’m dark skinned and I have no problem with Zwarte Pieten at all.
What I do have a problem with, however, is people from another country, coming here and trying to get rid of the country’s tradition. Which is basically what is happening.Yes I understand why the whole thing seems offensive. But I honestly think people are looking way too deep into this.
Do the children see anything bad in them? No. Even if the presents and candy weren’t there. Children wouldn’t see them as anything but harmless fun. You try explaining to your children or younger siblings why the Piet isn’t coming this year, because a bunch of foreigners decided they didn’t like it, thinking it was ‘racist.’
I do agree they should cut back on the earrings, red lips and curly hair however. Though I have met a few without the curls eheh.
Thanks, nice reply.
But according to Simon, we the Dutch people, of course frightened you into saying this with our racist opinions 😉
Does not matter, somehow you can always tell joyous from the not so joyous reaguurders, as we say in Dutch.
Well, the comparison with Black Pete is actually not accurate, since Dutch Pete’s already existed in 1850’s, about 80 years earlier. They used to have frizzy hair, earrings, and stupid. When the immigration started from African countries, those attributes disappeared. He got curly hair, the earrings were removed, and he became a respectable assistant of Sinterklaas -who in turn became scattered, much like one’s grandfather. This fact, however, is often neglected by “Black Petes are Racists”-advocates. And there is some other thing going on: you want Black Pete to go away, because “we” (the Afro-European community) consider it racist. That is kinda hypocritical, to want to exterminate racial thinking, but basing your very argument on basis of race. And then there is Verene Sheppard, -who, in all do respect, really needs to shut up-, stating that she “cannot understand why it is that people in the Netherlands cannot see that this is a throwback to slavery”. But shouldn’t she just be very happy about that? Isn’t that actually great news? We, the Dutchies, apparently DON’T SEE THAT. We do not link assistants of Sinterklaas to racism. We link them to cool, generous people, that happen to be black. When I was younger, and people asked me what I wanted to be, I told them “Black Pete”. A month later, of course, I wanted to be a fireman, a police officer and an astronaut. But is it really that bad to be linked to hero’s?
HOWEVER, it has come clear to me that some people take great offense in Black Pete. So why not make a small change, I’m not opposed to that. I really do not see the harm in making just black enough that some “whiteness” shines through, making them true chimney cleaners. Because that is all you’re asking, right? Or did I somehow still not get the point?
As a Dutchie (I’d rather refer to myself as a Dutchie than a weasel) I do understand that people are offended by this tradition and I certainly think it’s time for a change. Also, I genuinely get annoyed by arguments like “Santa Clause has little elves as well, but you don’t hear midgets complaining”. An anual holiday like Sinterklaas, which is celebrated this big in our country, should be a celebration for everyone and shouldn’t offensive to any of us.
The problem is that traditions are usually very difficult to change. Especially because many people never thought of Zwarte Piet as being racist; he was just part of a tradition and he was there ever since they were children. I think in this discussion many people are in denial because they never deliberately were racist, they just never thought about it. They take this too personally; they are defending themselves because they think they are being called a racist, but actually it’s not them, but this part of the tradition which is racist. Especially in these times of economical crisis, when discussions about integration and adaptation of “foreign people” revive, people tend to hold on to their traditions and conservative values.
Personally I think, to make Sinterklaas a holiday that is celebrated by everyone, we should change Zwarte Piet in a way that it’s not offensive to anyone, especially in these times that segregation revives. Having a holiday that is celebrated and looked forward to by everyone is the best thing you can have. (Ofcourse we’re not going to stop celebrating Sinterklaas “because we also have Santa Claus”, like Verene Shepherd suggested.)
I suggest we keep Zwarte Piet, but in the way it was meant to be: No black curles, no golden earrings, no red lipstick; just a regular person with a few smears; the way you look like when you’ve really been through a chimney. Like this, no one will get offended, we still have our tradition and everyone is included.
I do take it personal, because my white fellow countryman all but too often seem willing to discuss changes to our traditions when the complaints come in, but suddenly drop silent when other’s traditions are discussed. According to them, there is a vast majority of black people in the Netherlands that are offended by Zwarte Piet (even though I always have the most funny discussions with foreign friends who are amazed at this tradition), while at the same time subjugated woman do not exist when we talk about women with head scarf.
I do not care so much about what color Piet wears, but I find this eagerness to change our culture and traditions out of white guilt a bit worrisome. Indeed where does it end, what traditions will be left when we start viewing them all rationally. Because, yes, please enlighten us Simon, why should small people not be offended by small Santa helpers and black people should be offended by black Sinterklaas helpers? Because small people are not a race? Did you seriously think about that statement?
Btw I also find that a country should be able to give preference to its own strange traditions over those foreign to it. Some may find that xenophobic, but I see it as a right of a culture to preserve itself. Just like an native American reservation in the US does not allow foreigners in, nor any interference with its own cultural traditions, so should the Netherlands have a right to protect its own identity (little as some of my fellow countrymen seem to want one).
Well, actually, if you know how everything started, now Sinterklaas fest is coming to an end, stop Santa Claus with Christmas aswell, simply because santa Clause in fact was brought to the US by a few dutch men who wanted to celebrate it there aswell, Sinterklaas is strange so they named him Saint Claus, which went later to santa Clause.. Coca Cola helped the commercial aspect because they couldn’t use kids on drinking bottles, that’s how Santa came to christmas and now is world wide.. So actually yes, If Sinterklaas must go, Santa Clause has to go aswell (Not X-Mas, just santa).. look it up, you might find an interesting story, just knew this for a few days aswell 😛
Ah…you could have stopped your story when you said the sentence: an old white man with his slaves.
Because this is an absolute lie the rest of your story whas useless also. Too bad that people often use lies to colour up their story. Don’t know who shallowman and I don’t care actually is but I saw this bullshit pup up on facebook,so I had to respond.
@Simon Woolcot: how in earth could this bullshit of forbidding Black Piet ever have a positive effect? Yeah, when more then 2 Million people will tell their children they won’t get any treats this year, because 20 dark pigmented people didn’t want the children to get gifts from Black Pete this year. Sure….that will really help to make this so called “racism” dissapear.
Jullie zijn echt te triest voor woorden. Als zwarte piet je niet bevalt, dan kun je het toch ook gewoon negeren? Hier in Nederland wordt Sinterklaas gevierd mét zwarte pieten, en dat zal altijd zo blijven ook! Wat doen die ‘zwarte pieten’ nou zo verkeerd dat het opeens racistisch is? En daarbij zijn jullie ook nog is ontzettend dom want vrijwel alle argumenten zijn niet eens juist. Sinterklaas was juist degene die de slaven bevrijdde en ze een eigen status gaf, en in ruil daarvoor werden ze zijn hulpjes! De Kerstman daarentegen is afgeleid van ónze Sinterklaas en gebruikt lilliputers. Dat is dan toch precies hetzelfde? De grote meerderheid in Nederland wordt hierdoor gewoon pissig en gaat zich zeker niet aanpassen aan de minderheid. Of het nou wel of niet racistisch is, zwarte piet kan helemaal nooit verboden worden. Er bestaat geen grond voor in de wet. Daarbij is het advies van VN niet bindend. Dus ik snap de discussie niet helemaal hoor. Je bereikt er toch niets mee.
Lizzy, those of us who are against ZP have already achieved a lot. Look at the national debate about this in the Netherlands at the moment. Also the NL dirty little secret is now global. The fact that you’ve taken the time to respond to my post, also shows that it is having a positive effect. The days of Zwarte Piet are numbered. I doubt if there will be any, this time next year. Goed So!
Simon, are you able to lodge a complaint through official channels about this? I fully support your beliefs on this. Apparently there are several local anti-discrimination bureaus which receive complaints about Zwarte Piet. This is also referenced in the UN letter and response. I’ll be submitting an official complaint myself, but more people are needed to officially complain to drive this national discussion forward.
Er is praktisch niemand in Nederland die Zwarte Piet associeert met buitenlanders en/of slavernij. Sinterklaas is een oude man die hulp nodig heeft van pieten, die toevallig zwart zijn omdat ze door de schoorsteen gaan.
Dat is het verhaal dat kinderen wordt geleerd, en dat is het verhaal dat iedereen aanhoud. Waarom vinden mensen dat dan racistisch? Er is NIEMAND die zegt dat Pieten slaven zijn, NIEMAND die Pieten belachelijk maken omdat ze een andere kleur zijn. Kinderen zoeken niks achter de vergelijking, omdat ze die connectie niet maken. Waarom moeten wij dat dan wel doen?
Het is niet alsof we ons kroost vertellen “ja kids, Zwarte piet heeft een typisch zwart uiterlijk omdat we nu eenmaal graag buitenlanders belachelijk maken en ze herinneren aan de slavernij.” Nee. Zwarte Piet is de hulp van Sinterklaas, want die wordt ook een dagje ouder en kan het niet alleen. Piet doet het met veel liefde, maar wordt helaas wel zwart van al het roet in de schoorstenen. Punt.
Mick, I award you the scraping the bottom of the barrel award. Yours it greatest use of weasel words yet. I was not aware that people with red hair, are classified as a race. Nor, am I aware of any demonstrations by red haired people and their supporters against clowns. Perhaps though with this feeble comparison, you should apply for a job as a clown, as you’re certainly making me laugh. I do not to prove anything. How deep in the sand is your head stuck? White people blacking up is offensive. All of the well chosen weasel words won’t change that. Time to stop blacking up people. Have a white piet, as this blacking up and acting foolish every year, appears to be a fetish for white nederlanders. Go ahead and do it, without the makeup. Simple. Problem solved and please stop hiding behind kids with more weasel words such as “but it’s for the kids”
I find that many of these comparisons completely miss the point. It’s not about sensitivity without context. Red-haired people and Germans have never been enslaved and oppressed. Elves don’t actually exist. By the way, neither does the magic Sint. Tradition is not a synonym for ‘worthy and good’. The past is full of horrors; ‘good intentions’ or ‘meaning no harm’ are not enough when you are reminding your fellow citizens of the horrifying experiences of their ancestors for an entire month every year. I get that it’s not meant to be racist but eventually the experience of Dutch citizens/residents of African descent has to respected. Please, my Dutch friends, you are on the wrong side of this argument.
Ok Ilene, then here is a better one. Tell us if you agree.
Women were oppressed across Europe not even 100 years ago. They were married off, beaten by their husbands, couldn’t vote, etc etc. I recognize it is not ass bad as racism, but their was clear and strong discrimination going on. Should we stop portraying any stereotype of an 18 century woman in any Western play that we have? Even if the play involves liberated women from that time in specific?
Tell me why I miss the point with this example.
You appear to be grasping at metaphorical straws. Let’s focus on the issue at hand. I’ve lived in Amsterdam for nine years now. The first time I saw Zwarte Piets I was shocked, totally dumbfounded at how the Dutch, an incredibly tolerant and progressive society in so many ways, could allow the continuation of the minstrel tradition in the 21st century. My problem is not with the Sinterklaas celebration, or even Piets per se. My problem is with the portrayal of the Piets as having Curly hair, brown skin and bright red lips. That is crude racial mockery of people of African descent and has nothing to do with going down a chimney. I’ve never seen a chimney that turns blonde hair, black and curly have you? Nor that paints lips bright red. The Piets are incredibly clean considering they’ve just popped down a chimney. This is a simple excuse that has been made up to try and justify the blatant mockery of people of color. This is not so much about racism, as racial insensitivity.
Simon do you think clowns with red hair always acting dumb & clumsy is offensive for people with red hair? Or that Sinterklaas is not female, always the stereotyping of men leading the world? Or that thanksgiving is a sincere holiday ” hello Indians, thanks for the fruits, now we kill you all”. A lot of things do not make sense for third parties when it comes to culture. It is an emotion, a feeling, which is hard to put in words. If you prove to me, that Zwarte Piet is even in the top 100 reasons why we still have rascism in this country, if you can prove the correlation between the 2, than I fully support your cause, as a dutch person. But I think there are at least 99 reasons which have a bigger effect, so please pick your battle, before we have to get rid of a lot of ridiculous holidays, habit & traditions all over the world, just be consistent…
The whole blackface thing was started in another country other then The Netherlands. And it was indeed started out as a kind of racism way to show power. However, when it was brought to the Netherlands it was specifically altered to get rid of the racism and make the blackface an equal and equally important part of the story. It went from slave to a knave who got paid for his services.
I’m fine with everyone’s opinion but please research your stories a bit better.
I’m sorry Daniel, but I just don’t buy this, white man blacking up to demonstrate black power and anti-racist nonsense. The Zwarte Piet, is a subservient role to Sinterklaas who is always white. I keep reading nonsense about “ZP shows Sinterklaas how to use an IPAD” as if this makes the role of the black slave ok. “Hey black people are intelligent now, they know how to use IPADS!”
Oh, you effing moron… I got a spin on that ZP shows Sinterklaas how to use the iPad thing. What if all the old people started raging because that insinuates all old people are not good with electronic stuff. We could go on like this. Problem with this thing is that nobody really sees this thing as racist, only the men/women that are opposed to this. I’d rather see you reflect all this haterd towards all those goddamn rap songs that have the N-word (the word that the opposing people seem to be okay with, as long as it’s black people reminding them of slavery day in and day out) but black face (that white people don’t actually see as black face, but just a thats black because of the chimney) is a big deal.
I look out and all I see are weasels. Some Dutch people are capable of incredible mental gymnastics. So white people, blacking up, is now a black power statement!!! It’s anti-racist. LOL!!! Come on people, even the UN Human Rights group are investigating the Dutch black face fest for its obvious insulting disrespect to people of color. About bloody time too.
The UN doesn’t mind a gruesome war in Syria, but a children feast in Holland (that they are miss informed about) must be banned!
So racist behavior is ok as long as it’s for a children’s fest in Holland. Have you ever considered that the reason you think this is normal is because you experienced it as a child? Self-perpetuating, subconscious racial stereotyping.
I’m really sorry that I’m not alike the others backing up to your story and my bad grammar. As for me standing up against the Shallow man and go after you with my tulips and clogs (or the weasel like you love to call others..I don’t know if I should feel offended for other weasels in the world) ..If we all are offended to a holiday then we better skip all traditions. Like Christmas it’s a big man letting all the little people doing his job. Wouldn’t midgets feel offended to that? Valentine day, all started with a man that was imprisoned in a prison who just send a card to his daughter. Now it’s all about babies in with wings and bow and arrows. Shouldn’t we call child services or the people with a bad heart condition? Or the big feast of the sacrifice from the Islam..My god the vegetarians should also get towards court because they believe people shouldn’t slaughter pigs . And don’t let me start with halloween! Children should be scared! Who knows they would knock on the door of a sex offender.
It’s all traditions, they are old that’s all about celebrating old history. Yes, some may be offended like we are still celebrating that we won of the WOII from the germans and that we’re free.. it doesn’t fit the 21 century.. I’m pretty sure that in the future we will hear germans stand up saying we shouldn’t do that anymore.. Plus that the whole world is forgetting our national history and reasons behind celebrating those things. But it’s to celebrate it and I must say Henk had a good point. And don’t worry , I respect your story but seriously all those silly holidays..All those moments that we all should be offended they are things for joy and fun for people to get together. Like Christmas or Halloween. Not I’m going make a movie line but they are not gifts or filling your face with candy. They are to be together. And you want to spoil things to make a child sad?
Our society gives many bullcrap like all poor people are muggers, east europeans are bad people or the arabians are terriosts. It’s always been in our blood being judgemental; like the dutch folks like to make jokes about their southern neighbours belgium. And don’t worry all those other people laugh about it and tell fun jokes about them. Or some black comedians say about ‘those white trash!’ If I see that on televison I always giggle. I don’t get offended or kick their asses but laugh about it if someone calling me out something. They are just being silly and stupid.
Yes, our history been horrible. And you may not believe it but I have been brought up by ‘that nonense about slaves with status, etc, ect. I’ve even learn about communism and their painfull side effects of it. Like the Americans been to black, chinese, Vietnamese or the japanees. Dutch to Indonesia, Black and even other folks. We all did bad things but I believe yourself ain’t that holy either. If you want to stop rascism then stop talk about it.
But I know you think this Polish/dutch student with a horrible grammar is being the ‘weasel or better say ‘Dumb youngster’ for not listen to the words of the old and wise ‘Shallow man’. And yes, I respect your opinion (And I hope you will respect mine opinion) but if you want to not to the history of the tradition..then we shouldn’t think back about slavery right? At last if you won’t listen to mine words please listen to morgan freeman words about rascism,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeixtYS-P3s
I wish you a good day.
you story is bullcrap. its like forbiding the elfs as santa claus helpers cause it would be rasism for small people…
Henk, in the 21st century, there is absolutely no justification for white people blacking up. It’s not PC to be offended by this, it’s an normal reaction for those of us who haven’t been brought up to believe in nonsense about slaves with a status, etc, etc. Zwarte Piet belongs to your colonial past. The sooner the black face stops, the better.
Sensational article. Unfortunately that it is more based on assumptions rather than facts. Tamara’s post tells the historical truth of it all. To say it is racist is factually wrong and the truth is the opposit of racism. Without the background it is easy to misunderstand this tradition. Calling Zwarte Piet, Sinterklaas his slaves couldn’t be further away from the truth. Being offended by Zwarte Piet or being PC about it is creating issues that simply aren’t there or shouldn’t be there. I see how this can be interpreted as racism, but I invite you to read about the history of this tradition first before you judge. Here is the translation of what was posted by Tamara.
By Henrike Lieberom
The history of Saint Nicholas.
St. Nicholas/Sinterklaas fled to Spain when he was an old man. He originally was a bishop of Turkish decent and nationality. He came from an important Turkish town on the coast. He became famous because he, at that time very unorthodox, freed African slave children from the slave ships that came to his town and hired them as servants.
The paid job gave these children an independent status.
That is why St. Nicholas is seen as a friend of all children and his black servants are originally the symbol AGAINST slavery and oppression. It is hard to think of a better symbol against racism than Sinterklaas.
Maybe when more people would know this we could finally end this discussion and we can all enjoy this beautiful tradition together.
This post below (in Dutch) passed by my FB page. I don’t know which is more insulting – the usual denial that there are no racial connotations to the Zwarte Piet tradition, or the claim that the tradition is fueled by the Dutch’s pioneering history of embracing freedom and non-discrimination. Either way, nothing will ever come of these discussions except a silly cycle of animosity towards each other because what the offended are basically saying is ‘Please at least consider altering the tradition a little’, and what the Dutch are saying is ‘For who? For you? Never’.
By Henrike Lieberom
De geschiedenis van Sint Nicolaas.
St. Nicolaas is op latere leeftijd gevlucht naar Spanje, oorspronkelijk is hij een bisschop van Turkse origine en nationaliteit! Uit een Turkse havenplaats van destijds aanzienlijk belang. Hier is hij internationaal beroemd geworden omdat hij destijds zeer onorthodox (zwarte, Afrikaanse) kindslaven bevrijdde van de slavenschepen die de haven aandiende en ze als knecht in dienst nam.
De betaalde baan “knecht” gaf deze kindslaven een onafhankelijke, zelfstandige status.
Het is hierdoor dat St. Nicolaas als kindervriend door het leven gaat en zijn zwarte knechten zijn van oorspronkelijk bedoeld als symbool TEGEN slavernij en onderdrukking. Een beter symbool tegen racisme dan Sinterklaas is er dus eigenlijk niet.
Misschien als meer mensen dit zouden weten, stopt deze discussie eindelijk en kunnen we gewoon met z’n allen genieten van een prachtige traditie.
This argument arises every year. Ban Zwarte Piet brigade vs Dutch tradionlists. So long as the commercial interests of AH, Blokker, Kruidvat rule the argument nothing will change. Britain would have a field day with this but being PC is not a Dutch trait.
Thank you Dutch woman of color. Much appreciated. There seems to be a mass refusal to accept the fact that Zwarte Piet (white men blacking up fest) is offensive. The only response is “if you don’t like it live somewhere else” real rational discussion about this is nearly impossible.
I’m so disappointed that there’s a lot of pro-Zwarte Piet people out there who use that argument, it disgusts me a bit I must say. As a pro-Zwarte Piet person, because of this, people think I’m some sort of racist who should be put in the same group as PVV-voters who say things like that.
Please do not say all people use this argument in the discussion; it’s just such a shocking argument it stays in your head. Further more, there is something I’d like to point out in your argumentation, since it’s quite a huge error more people seem to make. You say that Zwarte Piet is a white men blacking up. This is not the case! Black people (and women also) want to play Zwarte Piet (which happens every year) , and they also should wear make-up on their face. Quite a big part of Sinterklaas is, that Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten are in fact neighbors/friends/family of the kids they’re dressing up for. The kids don’t recognize them, Sinterklaas because of his big beard, and the Zwarte Pieten not because of the makeup. That’s what makes it fun. As a kid, I’ve never linked Zwarte Pieten with coloured people. I guess 99.99..% of the people who participate with Sinterklaas do NOT mean to be any kind of racist. And the 0.001 percent that does, would also be racist without Sinterklaas, that’s just too bad. Sinterklaas seems really ridiculous on the outside, but it is all just positive and good, if people just could see that.
It’d be so much better if people saw Sinterklaas as something where colours do not matter. Zwarte Piet is not stupid, maybe a bit ditzy, (so he’s less scary to children (like the Very Serious Sinterklaas) but fun and talented and he should be portrayed this way. Zwarte Piet is just black because he’s black. Like Sinterklaas’s horse is white because it’s just white. But clearly Dutch citizens get offended by Zwarte Piet, so maybe we should change it a bit to make everyone happier. Although I do not think this would make any difference, because racism will not be any less because of the change. If people want to be racist, they’ll still be. People feel offended all the time, when they shouldn’t be.
At the end of the day I think the argument ‘it reminds of earlier days where racism wasn’t rare’ is just such a shitty argument. Because after all: there are so many things that remind us of those days. We WANT to be reminded of those days, and we should be. (Think of historical monuments, books, art, the Gouden Koets from the royals…)
Thank you for a reasonable and honest contribution to the debate. I’m slowly starting to change my views on this… a little. 🙂 However have you seen the article below?
http://gerritdeheus.wordpress.com/2013/10/26/zwarte-piet/
Very sad state of affairs when Zwarte Piet supporters behave like this.
Yes, I’ve seen it. This is really serious and horrible. But honestly, I do not think it has really much to do with the whole ZP debate.
I think those people on the Malieveld in The Hague just take this topic as an opportunity to share their believes.
I’m definitely enjoying your blog…
I’m a Portuguese Expat in The “Low Countries” and coming from a welcoming, sunny, pleasant country to this one is a challenge to get accostumed to their gloomy, harsh personas…
Very well said! I am a Dutch woman of color myself and I agree with everything you said in this article. It is very very sad how people chose to close their eyes to the truth. And it is even more ridiculous that these same people get offended when talking about it. Really, you are getting offended?!
De geschiedenis van Sint Nicolaas.
St. Nicolaas is op latere leeftijd gevlucht naar Spanje, oorspronkelijk is hij een bisschop van Turkse origine en nationaliteit. Uit een Turkse havenplaats van destijds aanzienlijk belang. Hier is hij internationaal beroemd geworden omdat hij destijds zeer onorthodox (zwarte, Afrikaanse) kindslaven bevrijdde van de slavenschepen die de haven aandiende en ze als knecht in dienst nam.
De betaalde baan “knecht” gaf deze kindslaven een onafhankelijke, zelfstandige status.
Het is hierdoor dat St. Nicolaas als kindervriend door het leven gaat en zijn zwarte knechten zijn van oorspronkelijk bedoeld als symbool TEGEN slavernij en onderdrukking. Een beter symbool tegen racisme dan Sinterklaas is er dus eigenlijk niet.
Misschien als meer mensen dit zouden weten, stopt deze discussie eindelijk en kunnen we gewoon met z’n allen genieten van een prachtige traditie.
LOL,,, you only get offended when you see racism, which isn t there, cause it s not the intention to be racist…
So if there is no intention of racism that must mean the problem lies with you guys?
There is no racism involved at all, it is anti racism. Yet some people make up the fact that this tradition is racist even though it is not and has never been.. Its like saying driving Volkswagen means you hate jews, BAN VOLKSWAGEN because it offends me since its origin came from WW2.. ofcourse volkswagen would sue you and put you in jail for making false rumors like this..
it’s not the intention (purpose) that counts, but the effect.