The Netherlands: Should the Dutch ‘Black Pete’ tradition be abolished?

Many children in the Netherlands have grown up with the image of Black Pete, a helper for St Nicholas, an equivalent of Santa Claus.

The character is highly controversial, as the figure is usually portrayed by a white person wearing blackface makeup with exaggerated lips and an afro wig

Note EU-Digest: Indeed quite controversial. This has been a centuries old tradional Childrens celebration, before it became a racial issue. Amazing that the people promoting this as a racial issue have no qualms with the flagrant human rights violations of Saudi Arabia and many other countries around the world?

Read more at: Should the Dutch ‘Black Pete’ tradition be abolished? | Netherlands | Al Jazeera

The Netherlands: Santa's secret past: Who is the real Saint Nicholas? And why do we celebrate Christmas? - by Tom Rawle

Saint Nicholas is said to have created miracles across Turkey

The big guy in the North Pole has been the traditional Christmas gift-giver for hundreds of years now.

But his dark past is a fairly untouched subject. Look away now kids.

The well-known bearded ball of joy was based on Saint Nicholas, a 4th century bishop based in Turkey.

Saint Nick was known for giving secret presents and pulling off a handful of miracles according to the history books.

Yet the real festive folk hero is now also widely revered as being the patron saint of prostitutes.

According to the story, Nicholas saved three women from becoming hookers after their father could not afford dowries for them to wed.

At the time in Turkey – then known as Asia Minor, unmarriable women would be forced into prostitution.

Luckily old Nick had a plan.

On the night before the eldest daughter came of age, he anonymously offered up a purse of gold coins to the family.

One year on, he repeated the same gesture for the middle daughter.

And finally in the third year, he dropped a purse down the chimney for the third daughter (hence the modern day fable).

The wonderworker is said to have continued his good will to help maintain the purity of women and slow down the growth of prostitution.

Gerry Bowler, historian and author of World Encyclopedia of Christmas, told Daily Star Online exclusively that Saint Nicholas is a “semi-mythical saint”, yet was renowned around the globe.

He said: “So many stories were told about his wonder-working powers — he could fly, he could be in two places at once, he could raise the dead to life — that he was the most popular saint in heaven (outside of the Virgin Mary).”

In another story Saint Nick is said to have brought back to life three children murdered by an evil butcher.

In translated script from Symeon the Metaphrast, a philosopher in 900AD, he wrote: “Now after he had long lived in this manner, renowned for his virtuous conduct, he asperged the metropolis of Myra with sweet and lovely unction distilled from the blossoms of divine Grace.

"When he came to the very advance age, full of days both heavenly and earthly, he need must comply with the common law of nature, as is man's lot.

Dr Bowler said many areas of the Catholic Church still allow for the teachings of Saint Nicholas, despite some no longer trusting the legend.

In his book, World Encyclopedia of Christmas, he writes: “After his death Nicholas became a well-loved saint, being named the patron, among other things, of Russia, Greece, Vikings, choirboys, thieves, perfumers, barrel makers, unmarried women and sailors.”

He adds: “By the sixteenth century German children hung out their stockings for him to drop presents in just as he had dropped bags of gold to the poor man’s daughters.

“At the same time in England children were told that he came in through the window.”

From this, the idea of Santa Claus was born”

He writes: “Among Protestant countries only the Netherlands maintained its devotion to Nicholas, known there as Sinterklaas.

“This figure of Sinterklaas inspired early nineteenth-century Americans in New York City to develop a new Gift-Bringer, Santa Claus.

“It is Santa Claus who is exported back to Europe to provide the model for Gift-Bringers such as Father Christmas.”

So the good news is Santa Claus is (based on) a real person.

The bad news, he meddled a bit too much with prostitutes

From: Santa's secret past: Who is the real Saint Nicholas? And why do we celebrate Christmas? | Daily Star

Merchandising: Netherlands expects its own Black Friday - by Janene Pieters

The Netherlands has its on version of the American phenomenon Black Friday. But on the Monday just before Sinterklaas, instead of on the Friday after Thanksgiving as the Americans do it.

This is according to research done by Piet Hein Kerkhof of Criteo Benelux, BNR reports.

In the United States Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is always on the last Thursday in November. It is a day of mega sales and massive discounts, which usually includes large crowds, screaming customers and occasionally someone being trampled. According to Kerkhof, retailers fuel Black Friday with the idea of getting a head start on Christmas shopping.

Kerkhof found a similar trend in the Netherlands, though nothing close to the proportions of Black Friday in the United States.

According to him, there is a peak in the Netherlands on the Monday following Black Friday, in the run up to Sinterklaas. “This is less driven by retailers, but a trend in the behavior of the consumer”, he said to the broadcaster. Dutch consumers like discounts on the Monday before Sinterklaas is set to deliver his gifts.

Read more: Netherlands expects its own Black Friday - NL Times

Weather - the Netherlands: Hurricane Strength "Sinterklaas" Storm upgraded to Code Red for Northern Netherlands

At noon today the Dutch meteorology agency KNMI has issued a Code Red weather warning for people living in the north of the Netherlands. The official meteorologists of the Netherlands issued their strong prediction for Friesland, Groningen, IJsselmeer, Noord Holland and the Wadden Sea area, saying that they expect the storm to start taking hold around noon today.

Some schools in the northern Netherlands closed early so children could get home safely to celebrate Sinterklaas -- the traditional Dutch version of Christmas -- with their families.

The Netherlands also closed water barriers to protect the low-lying country from high tides, including the Oosterscheldekering barrier in the southwestern delta region, which was closed for the first time since 2007.
Water authorities in the northern Dutch province of Friesland were patrolling dikes to make sure any breeches or damages from the high tides were quickly repaired. The dikes were built to withstand water levels 5 metres above normal.

Thursday's tide was predicted to be around 3.3 metres higher than normal, the authority said.

Transportation troubles, also spread throughout northwestern Europe. All flights to and from Copenhagen's international airport were halted late Thursday due to the storm, officials said. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were affected or how long the airport -- Scandinavia's largest -- would stay closed.

Almost all flights to and from Hamburg airport in northern Germany were also cancelled, and federal authorities in Germany issued a warning for residents of Hamburg to expect a "very severe tidal flood" at about 6:30 a.m. Friday local time. Residents were urged to evacuate low-lying areas of the port and along the Elbe River.

EU-Digest

The Netherlands: Is the Netherlands' Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) Racist ? - John McWhorter

Sinterklaas and Black Pete

They’ve been on my living room shelf for a year now — wrapped chocolate candy figurines from the Netherlands of Zwarte Piet, or Black Pete. A friend who lived there for a while gave them to me in irony. Black Pete is a wooly-headed little “Negro” caricature, and in the Netherlands he is as cherished a part of the holiday scenery as elves are here in the U.S.

In fact, Zwarte Piets are depicted as elves, helping out Santa.

There is a growing movement over there to ban Black Pete. Predictably, there are those who think a mountain is made out of a molehill by people who just need to get a sense of humor. Judging the matter from over here in the U.S. is tricky, though. There are practices on race that most would consider repulsive in this country which, when done elsewhere, I am inclined to give a pass.

For example, Finnish friends have told me of attending parties in the ’90s where everybody dressed up as “black,” right down to blackface and wigs. Many will be reminded of stories of college fraternities here condemned for having “ghetto” parties, blacking up and lampooning life among black people in the inner city.

With America’s history as well as its messy present when it comes to race, clowning around in blackface at a party is obviously callous and ignorant.

Black Pete, then, is not the Dutch’s version of a Finnish teen bouncing to Jay-Z in an Afro wig. Black Pete in 2013 is a lame, thoughtless thing, carrying an implication that all of that slavery and servitude and imperialism was some kind of cartoon. Black Hollanders often feel the same way, in a country where blacks from former colonies are overrepresented in housing projects.

Who are we to judge, some might ask. I would say that a country with our colonialist history is no less responsible for judging such matters than other ones. We’ll never eradicate racism entirely. But surely we can do something about white men made up as “Negroes” dancing down the street at Christmastime — which would never happen even in our non-post-racial country.

Read more: John McWhorter: Is the Netherlands' Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) Racist? | TIME.com

Sinterklaas: Tensions mount in the Netherlands as UN questions ‘Black Pete’ Christmas tradition - Elisa Criado

It emerged last week that a UN working group is investigating the Dutch custom of white people dressing up as ‘Zwarte Piet’ (Black Pete) as part of their traditional Christmas festivities.

The leader of the UN group, the Jamaican academic Verene Shepherd, has spoken out against the practice on Dutch national television, condemning it as ‘a throw-back to slavery’.

The figure of ‘Zwarte Piet’ is an integral part of the Dutch Christmas tradition. In the Netherlands, children receive gifts on the fifth of December from ‘Sinterklaas’, a version of Saint Nicholas, along with his black slave helpers. These were originally portrayed as scary figures that would beat naughty children with a bunch of twigs and take them away in a sack to Saint Nicholas’ fictional home in Spain.

Today they are mainly characterised as the clown, acrobat, joker and entertainer. Although the custom is clearly linked to slavery and colonial times, most children are currently told that Black Pete gets his colour from the soot in the chimneys when he delivers their presents.

A few weeks before the culmination of festivities on the fifth, Sinterklaas and his ‘helpers’ arrive by boat and are greeted by the local children in large-scale events that are staged across the country. The largest event takes place in Amsterdam and is broadcast on national television. Both professional ‘Pieten’ and many volunteers paint their faces black, their lips red and don curly black wigs and gold earrings.

It is also customary for the children watching the event to do the same. They greet the procession of Sinterklaas and the Pieten by singing traditional songs, lyrics of which include: ‘Even though I’m black as soot, I mean well’.

 Note EU-Digest: What an utter waste of time and money  for the UN  to meddle in this traditional Dutch children and family celebration which in no way is meant to degrade or mock black people.Doesn't the UN have better things to do?

Read more Tensions mount in the Netherlands as UN questions ‘Black Pete’ Christmas tradition - World - News - The Independent

The Netherlands: Santa Claus under fire over black helper - carrying racism one step too far?

The Netherlands and Belgium are two countries that pride themselves on progressive laws and open societies, but critics say they are stuck in the dark ages when it comes to depictions of Santa Claus and his helpers.

Saint Nicholas, or "Sinterklaas" in Dutch, brings presents to children on December 5th in the Netherlands and on December 6th in Belgium, and is always accompanied by at least one assistant dressed in 17th century costume who has a blackened face.

The tradition has been difficult for Dutch and Belgian people to explain abroad, where "Zwarte Piet" (Black Pete) is viewed with either outrage or ridicule.

The tradition of St Nicholas exists in other European countries, including Austria and Germany. But he is only accompanied by black helpers in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Somebody who dresses up as Zwarte Piet is not a racist but it is a fact that he's part of a tradition which gives a stereotypical, racist image of black people," said John Helsloot a researcher at the Meertens Institute in Amsterdam.

Pressure on Zwarte Piet seems to be increasing in 2012 and even well-known conservative blog "Geen Stijl" (No Style) has written that it's time for Sinterklaas to find a new helper.

Note EU-Digest: this is comparing apples with pears and  carrying racism a step too far. Soon we might also be hearing that Santa Claus is exploiting "little People" in his toy factory on the North Pole? Aren't there more important issues to worry about?

Read more: Santa Claus under fire over black helper - The Irish Times - Mon, Dec 03, 2012

USA:Michigan City celebrates Dutch traditions of Sinterklaas - by Megan Schmidt

The sound of a crowd counting to three in Dutch rang out Friday night as Sinterklaas prepared for the annual lighting of the tree in Centennial Park in Holland, Michigan, USA

Sinterklaas — a Netherlands tradition — made his way from the Eighth Street Market Place to the park on a white horse, a procession of fans trailing behind him. Alongside walked Sinterklaas’ helpers, Zwarte Pieten, handing out treats.

“Who’s glad it’s not snowing tonight?” town crier Art Tolsma asked after the crowd reached the destination in the heart of the park. The crowd responded with cheers.

The tradition of St. Nicholas is not synonomous with the role of Santa Claus in the U.S.. As practiced in many European countries, the celebration of St. Nicholas is separate from the Christmas holidays, and occurs during the 2 weeks prior to December 6th, which is St. Nicholas's day.  Sometimes St. Nicholas Dayeven  is the main holiday for gift giving, and not Christmas.

In the Netherlands, legend has it that Sinterklaas (Dutch name for St. Nicholas) arrives in the Netherlands by way of steamboat from Spain 2 weeks before his traditional birthday, December 6th, along with his helper, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), who will help disperse the gifts and candy to all the good children. Sinterklaas, along with the zwarte piets, will go abroad at night and stride about the countryside wearing his red mantle, his mitre, and his golden crosier and sporting a long, white beard. Referring to his book that lists all the good and bad children, Sinterklaas will deliver presents to all the good children, but watch out if you've been bad!

The bad children may be taken back to Spain with him. The Low Countries (Belgium and Luxemburg) have basically the same traditions surrounding St. Nicholas, but not to the extent of the Netherlands. Children in Luxemburg call him Kleeschen, and his helper is Hoseker (Black Peter). Belgian children know him as Sint Niklaas.

St. Nicholas was born in 271 AD and died around December 6, 342 or 343 AD near the Asia Minor (Turkey) town of Myra,. where he later became Bishop. He performed many good deeds and was a friend to the poor and helpless, and upon his death, myths soon sprang up about him all around the Mediterranean Sea.

He was reputed to be able to calm the raging seas, rescue desperate sailors, help the poor and downtrodden, and save children. He was soon named as the patron saint of sailors, and when Myra was overthrown, his bones were transported by sailors to Bari, a port in Italy, where a tomb was built over the grave and became the center of honor for St. Nicholas. From here the legend spread on around to the Atlantic Coast of Europe and the North Sea to become a European holiday tradition regardless of religion.

EU-Digest

EU-Digest: The Netherlands: Sinterklaas comes to Almere

Sinterklaas and his helpers arrive in Almere, Europe's most modern City"

Special report on Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, is an annual European event which has been uniquely Dutch and Flemish for centuries. The actual St. Nicholas' celebration, December 6th, is observed in most Roman Catholic countries primarily as a feast for small children. But it is only in the Low Countries - especially in the Netherlands - that on December 5th, the eve of his birthday, it is celebrated nationwide by young and old. Christian and non-Christian all having fun, without any religious overtones. The Sinterklaas celebrations on December 5, when St Nicholas visits children accompanied by his Moorish servants called Zwarte Piet, is the most important Dutch tradition, according to a poll for the Dutch folk culture centre NCV. Although Sinterklaas always wears the clothes of the bishop he once was, his original status as a canonized saint has little to do with what the Dutch think of him. To them he represents a kind benevolent old man, whose birthday is observed by exchanging gifts and making good-natured fun of each other. It so happens that the legend of St. Nicholas is based on historical facts. He did actually exist and lived from 271 A.D. to December 6th, 343. People still visit his 4th century tomb in the town of Myra, near the city of Anatolia in present-day Turkey, which was recently excavated has by archaeologists. Santa Claus the fat, jolly man wearing a red coat and trousers with white cuffs and collar, and black leather and who became popular in the United States in the 19th century is a commercial offshoot of ST.Nicolas, maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, and films. In Europe he is called Father Christmas.

In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas made his early appearance at the end of November in Europe's most modern City Almere, to the delight of the children and of course the shopkeepers.

Expatica: The Netherlands - Sinterklaas survival guide - by Cormac Mac Ruairi and Pep Brouwer

For the complete report from Expatica click on this link

The Netherlands - Sinterklaas survival guide - by Cormac Mac Ruairi and Pep Brouwer

When it comes to discussing the Dutch phenomenon of Sint Nicolaas and his feast day, Sinterklaas, on 5 December, many expats go straight for the jugular: his black "helpers", (Zwarte Pieten, singular Zwarte Piet) are really a caricature of black slaves.A libel, say Dutch traditionalists. To them, Zwarte Piet is Sint's valued companion; his black hue may owe more to his clambering up and down chimneys than his ethnic origin. (Although it is unclear how soot can bring about frizzy Afro hair and big red lips.) There is another view, held by both some expats and locals, namely: who cares? Sinterklaas is about having fun and goodwill to all.

Interestingly, when reporting on the arrival of Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten this year, public broadcaster NOS said the Saint's steamboat sailed into a rainbow on the way to the Netherlands. As a result, the Zwarte Pieten have blue, green, yellow and red faces this year. A debate has since erupted on internet forums about the alleged political correctness of NOS.

Expatica: Seasonal politics: Sinterklaas vs Santa Claus

For the complete report from Expatica click on this link

Seasonal politics: Sinterklaas vs Santa Claus

It's not along the American lines of replacing the Christian-centred "Merry Christmas" with the more neutral "Season's Greetings". No, it is a full-fledged economic and cultural battle between our great traditional Sinterklaas and that tacky American Santa. Purists will point out that whereas Christmas has descended into a competitive "my-gift-is-more-expensive-than-yours" feast, gifts from Sinterklaas are truly anonymous and as such more in the true spirit of giving.

In addition, a poem is often included, which allows for mild reprimands, which the Calvinist Dutch adore. Finally, there is the "surprise" (pronounced sur-pree-za) whereby you do something artistic like wrap your present up to resemble something different or organise a trail with hints through the house. All much more industrious and creative than having Macy's wrap it for you.