Dutch Santa Claus Has Slaves

[Pearl]

Here’s what concerns me: In Holland, Santa, or “Sinterklaas,” as he’s known to the Dutch, doesn't have reindeer; he has a little helper named ZwartePiet, literally Black Pete, who charms children with pepernoten cookies and a kooky demeanor while horrifying foreign visitors with his resemblance to Little Black Sambo. Each year, on Dec. 5, the morning before the feast of St. Nicholas, children all over the country wake up excited for gifts and candy while thousands of adults go to their mirrors to apply brown paint and red lips. In their Zwarte Piet costumes, they fill central Amsterdam and small village streets, ushering in the arrival of Sinterklaas who, in the Dutch tradition, rides a flying white horse.


Trying to tell a Dutch person why this image disturbs you will often result in anger and frustration. Otherwise mature and liberal-minded adults may recoil from the topic and offer a rote list of reasons why Zwarte Piet should not offend anybody. “He is not even a black man,” many will tell you. “He is just black because he came down the chimney.” Then, you may reply, why aren’t his clothes dirty?





As the history of Zwarte Piet makes clear, that chimney-soot explanation doesn’t wash. Zwarte Piet—or his immediate ancestor, anyway—was introduced in 1845 in the story “Saint Nicholas and his Servant,” written by an Amsterdam schoolteacher named Jan Schenkman. In the story, Sinterklaas comes from Spain by steamship bringing with him a black helper of African origin. The book was wildly popular and with it began the inclusion of Santa’s helper in Dutch Christmas festivities. (It wasn’t until later in the century that he was given the name Piet.)

Zwarte Piet: Holland’s favorite racist Christmastime tradition. - Slate Magazine



This is really bad. As I read the article, I couldn't believe that so many Dutch would be in such denial that Zwarte Piet is racist and mocks black people. Must be fun to be a black person in Holland.


Also bad, read the comments. Some people were saying Zwarte Piet is freedom of speech.

 

[Tiger Edge]

I feel like Zwarte Pete should be a part of Godwin's Law at this point. It's brought up every year at Christmas.

 

[deep]

look at that crap !!!

those people are no better than Nazis

 

[Pearl]

It's disgusting. How could Holland explain itself on the world stage?

 

[yolland]

It's brought up every year at Christmas.

Is it? I don't think I'd ever heard of this before TBH.

 

[LemonMelon]

I heard an explanation the other day that suggested his servant boy was black from all the chimneys he passed through. Maybe his lips swelled up to a monstrous size from a cookie/milk allergy?

 

[Canadiens1131]

I heard an explanation the other day that suggested his servant boy was black from all the chimneys he passed through. Maybe his lips swelled up to a monstrous size from a cookie/milk allergy?

 

[Tiger Edge]

Is it? I don't think I'd ever heard of this before TBH.

Yeah, this must be the third or fourth year I've read about it, at least for me.
I can honestly say that I don't think it's harmful. It only pops up for two weeks or so and the connotation behind it has died. But then again, I have gollywogs from the Dominican Republic in my house. (I didn't buy them and they're not
mine!)
I went on a cruise a few weeks ago and some Cubans dressed up in blackface for a halloween contest. I really didn't see people complaining in disgust, besides myself. I can't imagine many people knowing WHY it is offensive these days, otherwise they would have never let them get up onstage.
Cubans, however, are inherently racist, but not aggressively so, from what I've experienced. I seemed to have escaped that gene.

 

[WalkOn21]

The article in the opening post takes it all out of context and out of proportion. Sinterklaas is an important part of Dutch folklore. Read about it on Wikipedia.

As for the Zwarte Pieten being black: yes, of course this has a colonial origin. Sinterklaas' helpers (or, if you wish, slaves) were black Africans. But in modern-day folklore this is reinterpreted as them being black because they have to crawl through soot-ridden chimneys to deliver the presents to little children. "Zwarte Piet, zo zwart als roet" goes one Sinterklaas song - "Zwarte Piet, black as soot".

This requires some explaining: on Sinterklaas eve, children put one of their shoes in front of the stove, with some gifts in it for Sinterklaas (e.g. a poem) and for his horse (a carrot). The children are told that during the night, Sinterklaas walks on the rooftops of houses on his horse together with his Zwarte Pieten; the Zwarte Pieten then descend down the chimneys to deliver presents to the children's shoes and return with the poems and carrots, which they give to Sinterklaas and his horse.

It's really not such a racist tradition.

Mind you, black people who actually live in the Netherlands don't usually mind, and happily join in the celebrations. It's mostly outsiders, such as foreign media, that make a big fuss about the racist connotations.

 

[BVS]

It's really not such a racist tradition.

Riiiiiiight

That picture and that sentence next to each other makes it really hard to take seriously.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Well, I guess the minds are pretty set on this. Americans view this whole topic from their perspective where all racist connotations these days are frowned upon due to their own history with slavery and racism. The Netherlands, while once being a colonial power, have an entirely different history and tradition. It was also the very first society in the Western world that went against the exploitation and the cruel treatment of today's third world after the publication of "Max Havelaar: Or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company". So it is worth considering that there are indeed, entirely different views on this topic. Holland, over the last couple years, indeed has struggled with issues over immigration and such, seen e.g. in the rise of Geert Wilders, but to make comments what a terrible, racist country Holland is, based on one article about a topic where the different cultural spheres are not even remotely explained, sorry, but that is uninformed either.

 

[BVS]

Americans view this whole topic from their perspective where all racist connotations these days are frowned upon due to their own history with slavery and racism.

I'm a little confused, shouldn't all racist connotations be frowned upon?

 

[Vincent Vega]

Yes, sorry, that sentence wasn't very clear. Racism, of course, is to be frowned upon. Racial probably would have been a more fitting term there.
I tried to say that Americans are much more sensitive to such topics, and what in European societies may not have such a racial connotation, and is not deemed offensive by either group, may be viewed entirely different in the US. So an American seeing the Zwarte Piet will, from his own socialisation, be offended by it. A Dutch, not sharing this same perspective, will not see it. And as has been said before, black people living in the Netherlands usually also don't see it as offensive, in fact, they often participate in the festivities.

 

[WalkOn21]

Boo-hoo, people.

The Dutch government is currently working on a law that would make wearing a burqa a criminal offence. Not the wearing of face-covering clothing in general, no, specifically burqas. Basically, it's a big 'fuck you' to freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

What I'm saying is: when it comes to discrimination, a reference to the colonial era in a children's celebration is the least of this country's worries.

 

[BVS]

Yes, sorry, that sentence wasn't very clear. Racism, of course, is to be frowned upon. Racial probably would have been a more fitting term there.
I tried to say that Americans are much more sensitive to such topics, and what in European societies may not have such a racial connotation, and is not deemed offensive by either group, may be viewed entirely different in the US. So an American seeing the Zwarte Piet will, from his own socialisation, be offended by it. A Dutch, not sharing this same perspective, will not see it. And as has been said before, black people living in the Netherlands usually also don't see it as offensive, in fact, they often participate in the festivities.

I agree to a certain point that Americans are probably a little more sensitive or in tune to such topics. BUT, I wouldn't necessarily say that just because black people participate doesn't mean there isn't anything offensive about it to them.

I have a friend through my church that moved here from Africa about 4 years ago for college. Very fascinating woman, the first individual ever to leave or go to college from her town. I was the first red head she's ever seen; she stared, asked questions, asked if she could touch it. It was very eye opening to see the world through the eyes of an adult that is seeing things for the first time. Long story short we were once flipping through a book and there was a drawing very similiar to the one above and she looked up and asked me, "why are black people drawn this way, is this what I look like to you?". It opened the doors to a very long and difficult conversation, but even without any historical context she was bothered by these illustrations. So that's why I have a hard time when people blanketly say "it's not racist".

 

[Vincent Vega]

True, the fact of black people particitpating in an activity that could easily be deemed offensive to them alone is not reason enough to deny a possible racism involved, and I'm sure there's also people in the Netherlands taking another approach. I think the great difference here is, in the Netherlands it is a very uncontroversial thing, whereas Americans tend to take much greater offense. But before saying things like "How could Holland explain itself", one should ask oneself, "Is our view the only valid on this topic, or should we maybe take different cultures and cultural contexts into consideration."
But I also have to admit, when I first saw the images of the Zwarte Piet, I also felt a bit awkward about them. However, I quickly realized in the Netherlands it's not seen this way, neither by white nor by black people, so why make it an issue coming from outside?

 

[BVS]

But before saying things like "How could Holland explain itself", one should ask themselve, "Is our view the only valid on this topic, or should we maybe take different cultures and cultural contexts into consideration."

I agree.

 

[WalkOn21]

So that's why I have a hard time when people blanketly say "it's not racist".

Of course, people can take offence from it and consider it racist. Nevertheless, in its modern context it isn't meant to be racist. No one will deny that it has colonial origins and that the Zwarte Pieten originally indeed were black African slaves. In it's modern reinterpretation, however, they're just Sinterklaas' friendly helpers whose skin has turned black with soot.

Aside from that, they're not treated as slaves. Sinterklaas doesn't command his Pieten holding a whip in his hand, on the contrary, he kindly asks them to help him with things. There's nothing in the whole ritual that would lead the attending children to believe that black people are inferior to white people.

What if we would replace the Zwarte Pieten with white helpers? That would stir up racism allegations itself, because it suggests that black people aren't good enough to help Sinterklaas.

 

[BVS]

Nevertheless, in its modern context it isn't meant to be racist.

Do you believe there has to be intent in order to be racist?

I think this is a question is constantly being raised when talking about race in the modern day context. Some believe racism only exists when there are white hoods involved, and others find racism on every corner.

But I think you have to be careful with "it's not meant to be racist", because how different is that to "I'm not racist, but..."?

What if we would replace the Zwarte Pieten with white helpers? That would stir up racism allegations itself, because it suggests that black people aren't good enough to help Sinterklaas.

I am not bothered so much that the helpers are black(I know some are), but my issue is much more in how they are visually portrayed.

There's nothing in the whole ritual that would lead the attending children to believe that black people are inferior to white people

If you were looking at images and one was suppose to represent you and the other was to represent someone of another race, and the one that was to represent the other race actually looked very similar to them portraying them as normal, but the image of you was always a caricature that looked nothing like you, you wouldn't believe that they thought you were inferior somehow? Intentionally or not, I think it would start to bother you.

 

[Tiger Edge]

No one will deny that it has colonial origins and that the Zwarte Pieten originally indeed were black African slaves. In it's modern reinterpretation, however, they're just Sinterklaas' friendly helpers whose skin has turned black with soot.

Revisionist history at its finest.

I still stand with my point though. It's not a year round thing, golliwogs in general are no longer malicious. It's in bad taste, but I don't see why we should get up in arms about it. If the black community in the Netherlands condemned it, then I could see us making it an issue a valid point. They don't. So far, the only articles I've ever read over the years have come from an outraged white American.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2pniymmkpg

 

[WalkOn21]

Do you believe there has to be intent in order to be racist?

In Dutch society, certainly in Dutch law, I think that is the case. Perceived discrimination and intended discrimination are two very different things in the Netherlands. This is reflected in Dutch hate speech law, which specifically defines the offence of insulting a group as "(...) intentionally expresses himself insultingly (...)". [Whole text here]

But I think you have to be careful with "it's not meant to be racist", because how different is that to "I'm not racist, but..."?

It's very different. The latter often leads in a remark that actually *is* racist. Such as: "I'm not racist, but I really hate all those black people moving into my neighbourhood". I think that's quite different to what we're talking about here.

Revisionist history at its finest.

No, on the contrary. The history isn't revised, and most Dutch people are aware that historically Zwarte Pieten in fact were black African slaves. It's not colonial history we're revising, it's the children's celebration we're defining. If you had the choice to either abolish a major national tradition because of the racist origin of some of its elements, or keep the tradition but redefine a few things so as to remove the racist connotation, what would you do?

It's substituting tofurkey for turkey versus abolishing Thanksgiving altogether.

 

[BVS]

In Dutch society, certainly in Dutch law, I think that is the case. Perceived discrimination and intended discrimination are two very different things in the Netherlands. This is reflected in Dutch hate speech law, which specifically defines the offence of insulting a group as

I'm not talking about law though. You can't govern thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes.

I think there's A LOT of racism in this world that exists without intent.

 

[Liesje]

I'm 100% Dutch descent (born in the US in a very very Dutch community) and while we all know Sinterklaas this is really the first I've read/heard about Zwarte Piet, but our holiday and other tales are sort of a conglomeration of American and Dutch. I guess my parents left out that part. I'll ask around about this... all my family and most of my friends are Dutch but various generations removed from Holland (some moved here, some have parents that moved here, grandparents that moved here...). Unlike our yankee Dutch community - where religious, political, and social customs and traditions, even language has changed little over decades - I've always felt the motherland to be much more progressive and liberal.

 

[nielsgov]

In Belgium, we also celebrate "Sinterklaas" and I've never, ever seen this as racism. It's tradition. It really isn't a big deal here.

 

[Salome]

they are black because it's an easy way to 'trick' a wee kid into thinking it's not his uncle he's looking at but Sinterklaas' helper
it's not to celebrate our colonial past, unless I missed that memo

black families here celebrate Sinterklaas, with Zwarte Pieten and all
I don't think anyone even thinks of Zwarte Piet as 'a black person'
Zwarte Piet = Zwarte Piet, simple enough
just like Santa's elves aren't short people with a knack for making toys

 

[Salome]

I'm 100% Dutch descent (born in the US in a very very Dutch community) and while we all know Sinterklaas this is really the first I've read/heard about Zwarte Piet, but our holiday and other tales are sort of a conglomeration of American and Dutch. I guess my parents left out that part.

since Zwarte Pieten outnumber Sinterklaas about 10,000 : 1 that's slightly weird
esp since I don't think I ever have seen Sinterklaas without being surrounded by Zwarte Pieten!

 

[yolland]

In the US you couldn't have a holiday celebration involving white people dressing up in blackface without evoking public outrage; my guess is that's why Dutch-Americans "lost" that particular tradition. I have seen Christmas pageants before where one of the "Three Wise Men" was a white person wearing some sort of dark facial makeup, but never in blackface style, which is clearly the iconographic tradition the present "Zwarte Piet" look comes out of (hence the exaggerated lips).

 

[Popmartijn]

No, on the contrary. The history isn't revised, and most Dutch people are aware that historically Zwarte Pieten in fact were black African slaves..

Were they? Though this is part of folklore and with time less and less is known of the origin, I had never heard the African slave explanation. There is a legend regarding Saint Nicholas who, as the bishop of Myra (Turkey), freed an Ethopian slave who in gratitude became his helper.

The other explanation is that, nowaday, the story for the kids is that Sinterklaas is coming over from Madrid by steamboat (which is impossible as Madrid doesn't have a river fit for big boats). Historically though there are no ties between Saint Nicholas and Madrid as far as I know, though there are several locations in the center of Madrid which refer to Saint Nicholas. For the Madrid story the explanation for the Zwarte Pieten is that they are his Moorish helpers, which is also suggested by their dress style. And in the Middle Ages the Moors did occupy Spain. So the Zwarte Pieten (or rather, Piet, as originally there was only one servant/assistant) were not historically slaves, but part of the ruling class in Spain.

 

[Liesje]

In the US you couldn't have a holiday celebration involving white people dressing up in blackface without evoking public outrage; my guess is that's why Dutch-Americans "lost" that particular tradition.

Must be, like I said I honestly don't know if I've ever heard of it before. Sinterklaas yes definitely, he is still iconic and celebrated, but the Zwarte Pieten must have been left out.

 

[Jive Turkey]

just like Santa's elves aren't short people with a knack for making toys

This is actually an interesting point. Where is all the little people outrage?