I’m offended by a couple of people who want me to stop a tradition I’ve loved and believed in for as long as I can remember and since it’s (mostly) non-Dutch speaking people stirring this debate, I’m using my blog to show ‘our’ side of the story.
A short recap: Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas, is that lovely bearded guy who looks like an old pope who brings presents to kids in the Netherlands and a couple of other countries. (And incidentally, he’s also the character Santa Claus is derived from). Sint, as we call him here, has help from a couple of funny, talented and well-respected black guys called Zwarte Pieten (Black Pete). And recently I hear more noise about how awful it is we still let Zwarte Piet help Sint, even though he wants to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for ‘multiculturalisation’ and I understand that this makes people comment on each other’s customs more frequently. I also appreciate everyone has a right to their own opinion, so if you’re just saying you don’t like the fact Piet is black, good for you. To say I should stop having the tradition because you’re offended, offends me though and I seriously doubt you know what you’re talking about. So here’s why you’re wrong.
First of all, there are a couple of explanations to the origin of Black Pete and even though nobody is sure on how it happened, these are used as an argument against him. One explanation is that he was a devil, another links him to slavery as he’s black and helping Sint. True, these stories don’t sound as very cosy reasons for how the tradition might have started out.
However, there are also legends saying Sint saved Piet’s life and Piet stayed to thank him. In any case, it was so long ago there’s no proof for either story and therefore they shouldn’t be used as arguments. Also, if you want to forbid one tradition because it might have a dodgy origin, you’re really opening a can of worms…
I’ll not use the (often heard) argument for my case that, growing up I never linked Zwarte Piet to real black people because we were told he was black from climbing chimneys when bringing presents, ‘cause even though that looked most plausible, I do know now that it doesn’t totally cover the look. So yes, Pete is black.
But I don’t understand why people against this aren’t pleased by how much we show we love Black Pete now. I guess if you didn’t grow up with the tradition, you might not realise this and jump to conclusions, but today Zwarte Pieten are not slaves. They are not dumb. And they are certainly not bad. Though Sint is the ‘holy good man’ who needs the help, Piet is the centre of the show. Kids admire him. Primary schools have ‘Zwarte Pieten education’ in gymnastics (for learning to climb “roofs” for instance), after which kids get a ‘Zwarte Pieten diploma’, saying they are skilled enough to be a help-Piet. Zwarte Piet is probably also the one who brings the most joy as he runs around and dances with the kids and teaches them to bake very tasty ‘pepernoten’ or how to wrap up presents and write poems for somebody you’d like to surprise (i.e. lots of good values). And these are just facts of how it’s done; I don’t think I can fully illustrate the sentiment of his importance, but it’s a celebration in any case, not a denigration.
So besides that I obviously don’t see why my tradition is so bad, if we assume it should be changed to serve those who claim to be offended by it, then by those standards we should all ban Santa Claus and his little helps as well, as he’s then naturally abusing little people, for instance. In fact, come to think of it, as an atheist, the stupidity of most religious traditions bother me. But you can’t forbid them either. So get over it, leave my tradition alone. Live and let fucking live. And a happy Pakjesavond!
(Of course it’s also very convenient my little cousin doesn’t recognise me under the blackness by the way).
14 Comments
Well said. Traditions add to life’s rich tapestry. When I was there with you it was such a lovely atmosphere. I remember the Zwarte Pieten handing out little gifts on our bus.
I couldn’t agree more… Simple as that!
Proud dad! very good explanation what’s it all about! I’m as white as milk (hihi) and some of my best friends are black as black (hihi), and they are also participating in the Sint Nicolaas and Zwarte Piet traditions! and we will do so over 100 years!
Well I grew up with this custom being from Curacao a Dutch Colony.
But I definitely have a problem with this. why you would ask? well simple:
The idea of A smart wealthy man with black dumb and aggressive servants is discriminatory.
Further more if we take a look at the whole story there are holes in it.
First of All the Real Sinterklaas was not a white man but was Turkish. and he did not came from Spain obviously.
Second he never had any black servants.
Sinterklas how it is celebrated I was used as a form to indoctrinate my people to love the Dutch and believe that they are our Savior.
The Dutch were the biggest racists and still are. Sinterklas was Only one way they devised to indoctrinate their slaves and their descendants( my People) If we look at History we will find that the Dutch were very refined in Indoctrinating and concurring the Blacks they had more success than any other European Country in doing so, and they should be ashamed. But it would not be convenient to them to admit this.
Thanks for your comment Veurdgel Walter. I don’t think you properly read or understood my article though, as I answer your statements in there. For instance, I already explained it’s not a case of ‘smart white man vs. dumb black men’ and I’d like to emphasise that by calling ‘the Dutch’ racist, you in fact are discriminating Dutch people, who do not say anything bad about you or the group you feel you belong to, by celebrating Sinterklaas. I’m sorry you feel this way though.
My Dear I have read and understood your explanation, but as Long as you are not in the other shoe you will never see the Symbol Sinterklaas And Zwarte piet have. And it is easy to say that zwartepiet is not a discriminatory icon, but the fact of the matter is that if you go find out the part of zwartepiet was added in the late 19th century when the feest of sinterklaas reappeared. ( was prohibited by the Calvinists for a while) and zwartepiet moved from being devils to Black slaves.
So if you know the real story behind this and the real History you would see that it is Discriminatory. second I do not feel but belong to the Dutch Antilles I was born and raced in Curacao I have Lived in the Netherlands and I Do see what I’m explaining on a daily base. The fact of the mater is that it has not been us that traded in slaves and it hasn’t been us that created apartheid . History does show that the Dutch Where the most refined country in enslaving other races and still are. I was Just stating a fact because i do not discriminate i do feel though that the Dutch Need to treat their Colony as equal Partners and not Colony’s. as long as the History you Learn is written from Your prospective you will never see these points I am making.
You say you understand my piece, but I already addressed ‘the origin’ in there too. And with that I’m not saying you/the group you feel you belong too has never been treated badly by the group you think I belong too, but that has nothing to do with how I *celebrate* Sinterklaas today and for the rest of my life. I use ‘the group you feel you belong too’ by the way, because I refrain from using terms like ‘us’ and ‘them’; we’re all citizens of this planet. We just have different customs and I think I’ve made it clear enough that my customs are not racist.
I would like to respond to the accusation that the Dutch are the worst racists in the world since I feel like I should be able to defend myself and my country for at least a little against your points. I don’t see how we are worse then other people. First to your accusation that we did the slave trade. Sure ‘we’ had a big part in it and it certainly is a blemish on our history but we by no means invented the slave trade nor did we do it alone. We certainly did not introduce it to Africa. Once again I’m not saying the Dutch back then held no blame, they accepted the slaves that were offered them all too greedily, saw them as a real good profit, but I don’t see why we were so much more racist then others.
Also appartheid was something introduced by Afrikaners, by the time they did that they had lived in a different country for so long they had nothing to do with the Dutch anymore (political, social or cultural).
seriously… do we need to discuss and defend our tradition like this?! it’s a festivity for kids?! its a joyfull evening with presents…. And the zwarte pieten are doing nice things, and are not being pictured as evil, dumb black people…. but whatever, I am not a racist, and you say that we cannot see it from the other side of it, but why, is there always such discussion about these things?! It’s a fun fest, and people who are offended by it… well, you choose to make yourselfs miserable, not us! My son will learn that Zwarte Piet is a nice guy, who is black because he climbed through the chimneys! nothing else! and if my government should ever listen to your stupid protests, I myself will protest!
Thanks for your comments, Leonie and Jose. Jose, I agree, there shouldn’t be a need to defend the tradition. With this piece I wanted to explain rather, ’cause I understood recently that lots of my English friends even didn’t know what Zwarte Piet was about. And it is indeed not about ‘apartheid’, so I’ll not go into that any further. Cheers.
Haha, dad said yesterday: if we had had only white Petes from the start, someone would have said by now we’re discriminating by not letting black people participate. I thought it was funny and to be honest, probably true. It emphasises that, if you want, you can always find something to be offended by, I guess. Let’s not.
Hanny’s portrayal of Black Pete is in the Netherlands Tradition. If you are not a part of that tradition, and you are condemning Hanny and her nation, you are sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. We all have traditions that others would find stupid (silly) or offensive.
Consider (on the silly or stupid side) Groundhog Day in the USA or Guy Fox Day in the UK. (although at least Guy Fox Day is based on a real event).
In the USA we would never have Black Pete. However, we have elves. Consider the ridiculousness (offensive???) of a 30 year old 3 foot tall man dress as an elf.
All of this discussion is directly opposed to what all of these traditions are meant to portray and inculcate love, kindness and the fact that we are all sisters and brothers who should love one another as such. And that is so whether we put this under a religious umbrella or not.
OK a mistake in my previous post. It’s Guy Fawkes.
Yeah, this whole discussion is a shame. It makes us all talk about ‘them’ and ‘us’ and I don’t like that. I have also been accused the other day of not looking at it from ‘the other side’ enough. But I can tell you: I have! I tried. And I honestly think that if people who celebrate Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet would downgrade or humiliate or make Zwarte Piet out to be a slave or less worthy, I *would* have changed my mind and said: OK, this might be tradition, but what we’re doing is wrong so let’s change it. However, we LOVE Zwarte Piet and I think if those who are asking me to look at it if from the other side, would do that themselves, they would see that by celebrating Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet we are not being mean to Zwarte Piet. We treat him with the upmost respect and I would go as far as saying that I don’t understand why not everyone is happy about this fact.