Zwarte Piet: Photos of Holland’s Racist Christmas Tradition

Elisabeth says:

Hey,

You aobviously haven't done your research very well. First of all, it's not a Christmas tradition, but it's called Sinterklaas and it's on the 5th of September. Secondly, it's not his slave, it's just a helper and the blackness is because of the chimney (black Pete brings the presents through the chimney and gets black of the soot in chimneys.)And black Pete is as important as Sinterklaas for the traditionn no slave at all.

I hope you read those things too and above is just meant satirically.

Have a nice day!

derekb says:

December 5th that should be.

There's a difference between Santa Claus and Sinterklaas. They both exists and have their own day. So Sinterklaas is the 5th of December, Xmas decorations go up after that. Sinterklaas returns to his home in Spain, and makes room for Santa Claus.

As Elizabeth says, black Pete is Sinterklaas' version of Santa's elves. They climb up and down chimneys to deliver the toys.

But yeah, ofcourse it stirs up a debate about racism each year.

Katie Natopolis says:

Here's my suggestion of how to look at this: Ask yourself, what what Al Sharpton think? Do you think he'd say, "oh, what a delightful tradition! He has a dark face because he's simply been climbing down chimneys to deliver toys. How charming! This is not offensive to black people at all!"

Do you really think that's what Sharpton would say? Me neither.

Gary van de Wouw says:

Obviously you (Katie Natopolis) are just another ignorant north american twit.
No reasonable indication of any research is displayed in your article.
It`s just finger pointing and the pot calling the kettle black ( pun intended )by somebody who`s got misplaced white guilt stuffed so far up her fanny , it`s not even funny anymore.

If you really want to open up a discussion about what is offensive towards black people...or in return , to white people , i am sure we can come up with quite a few more significant subject matters ; Instead of stoning i rather innocent tradition that has no racist agenda at all and in Holland is equally celebrated by white and black people alike.

Al Sharpton ? .... what a joke!

Alexandra says:

I'm telling Al Sharpton you said that!

Lazlo H. says:

I'm pretty sure her goal was to open up a well-mannered discussion of race relations.

In other news "I am from Holland. Isn't zhat VEEEEHIRD?"

sispoombah says:

I don't know about ignorant North American twits (tweet) but I feel like because of our status as outsiders [to the Dutch community], we are more able to view Zwarte Piet from a rational-and-not-clouded-by-sentiment-and-claims-of-innocent-tradition point-of-view!

I know for a fact that in my state of Illinois, there are many "Pro-Chief" supporters, who support a local university's Native American sports mascot dressed in tribal attire. Now, people outside the state might be appalled at this, but growing up in Illinois it is almost a given fact that the University of Illinois has a "Chief" for their mascot, who performs in traditional garb in a dance that (they insist) is not a caricature of Native American stereotypes.

Would the Dutch find this racist? Probably.

But living in our own cultures some of us grow to complacently accept whatever traditions we grow into. Sometimes it is good to take a step back and look from an outsider's point of view at our own culture.

Gary van de Wouw says:

Alexandra - Tell him i said sorry that i can`t keep our golf date.
Tiger needs me in his times of need ! ;)

Lazlo - opening a well mannered discussion is done by spreading correct information to "the masses" .. not by stating misinformation and pointing fingers and making statements like " if you think we`re f`ed up ..well my friends...look at these people..we are not all that bad after all"... thats what it basically comes down to in slightly different words.
And face it...a well mannered discussion about race relations.
That`ll be the day !
Pretense and Political Correctness go hand in hand these days..and that goes for members of any race.

Sispoombah
Are you truly capable of doing so?
( as outsiders [to the Dutch community], we are more able to view Zwarte Piet from a rational-and-not-clouded-by-sentiment-and-claims-of-innocent-tradition point-of-view!)
You easily make the assumption that the Dutch as a people would find the given example racist.
Why do you think so?
I dare to bet that any given Dutch person could not care less .
For the simple reason that it has no cultural value to us .
What is it to them really?
And therefore i also ask..what is it to you , as a person and you as a nation , how the Dutch celebrate a holiday of joy ? ( because making children happy is really a racial crime eh?)

See... i`m not living in my own culture..i`m well aware of it and i do understand a lot of its historical significance and i am well capable of taking a few things in stride , but also how to put certain things in the right perspective.
I been living in North America for well over a decade and experienced plenty of culture where i live as well as on my travels , through the people i`ve met of every layer of society .
In my honest opinion .. the average North American doesn`t seem to get past the : Holland?..is that in Amsterdam?..oooh man...weed is legal there eh? (not true btw) ..how about them hookers..party party!
Most Americans don`t even know where exactly Canada is and possible think it`s another state if they think anything at all!
I think what i just said pretty much applies to about any general knowledge about any given country in this world in connection with Americans.
I know i`m very sceptical when having to believe that the average American knows anything at all whatsoever about Dutch traditions or anything else Dutch for that matter.

What i do know is that a big part of the world does think that America as a nation should mind their own damned business and butt out of every body elses.It`s not that you people don`t have enough to be worried about within your own borders.
Countries like Holland are perfectly capable of existing without your input
!

Merry Christmas to you all!

if it doesn`t offend you !

greg@gregbeat.com says:

From Wikipedia:

"Although it is said that the origins of Zwarte Piet are unknown, it seems most plausible that Zwarte Piet is a continuation of the much longer held tradition of depicting Sinterklaas in the company of a dark skinned man, thought to be the Devil. He is also depicted as the slave of Sinterklaas. This was due to the pervasive belief amongst Europeans that the Devil would resemble a Moor. The first mention of Zwarte Piet in Dutch literature refers to him as a beggar on the street, after Sinterklaas helps him, he promises to stay with Sinterklaas, and help him. It has later been argued that Zwarte Piet was of Italian or other Southern European origin however this interpretation fails to explain the predominant images of Zwarte Piet, who often is depicted in the style of the classic darky icons, contemporaneous with the spread of darky iconography.[1]

Moreover, in recent years, in an attempt to soften the racist overtones, it is said that Zwarte Piet is black because he has to climb down the chimneys with the presents for the children. This story also falls short of explaining the Blackfaced, googly-eyed, red-lipped Zwarte Piet dolls, die cuts and displays adorning store windows at this time of year, alongside brightly packaged and displayed, holiday merchandise.[2]

Due to the increased awareness surrounding the legacy of slavery in the Netherlands there has been recurring debate around the character of Zwarte Piet."

Sounds like Ms. Natopolis isn't the first to notice the racist element here.

DFWV says:

How about we get a bunch of Dutch folks and they can dress up as Zwarte Piet and we can all pass out little Dutch Christmas trinkets to folks in downtown Memphis or Birmingham. Do you think they'll fall the revisionist politically correct "soot-from-the-chimney" explanation? I'll be an elf.

Lazlo H. says:

@Gary: Sorry, I guess they don't have sarcasm in Holland. However, if you think Ms. Natopolis is being politically correct, I think you may be rather confused.

Rupert Murdoch says:

Indians live in Tepees
The other Indians have robes and live in huts
Dick wears a suit and is white
Dutch people wear wooden shoes and have blond hair
Russians wait in lines for bread
Mexicans wear big hats and are brown
People in china wear slippers
Black people... never mind because thats racist, dont ask why

Mirjam says:

Facts are getting in the way of a discussion. Zwarte piet isn't a Christmas tradition at all. Zwarte Piet is linked to Sinterklaas. He's Sinterklaas's helper (NOT a slave) in getting the presents to the children. And NO Sinterklaas isn't the same as Santa Claus. Please do some research before posting something.

Harrison says:

If you're asking what Al Sharpton thinks then you already have enough problems on your own. Al Sharpton, master race baiter and inventor of fake rape charges concerning a black girl and white men which never happened but caused huge racial tensions over nothing is a stain on the US.

Charles says:

It's sad when "reporters" sensationalize something they don't understand in order to create controversy and get page views. Fox News does this all of the time, and I'm afraid that this is more of the same. Taken out of context and without any historical or cultural knowledge these can be seen as negative photos. But with knowledge and understanding they are no longer negative. Here is another example: recently a parent was arrested for child pornography because they had bath time photos of their children.

Lesli says:

If Black Pete is black because of chimney soot, then why aren't his clothes dirty with soot as well?

Patrick says:

Charles: Ms. Natopolis is not a reporter. She is a writer. There is a difference.

Honestly, if you watch television news for anything other than gossip, you're wasting your time and rotting your brain.

Melinda says:

Why does everything have to be a race issue? I am not Dutch and I live in Holland. My children look forward to the Sinterklaas event, specially at the sight of Zwarte Piet. Not because he's black, but because he's got the cookies. My black friends do not take against it and understand that it is just tradition. That's just how the story evolved. It is not bad nor good, its just how it is.

How can you treat an innocent view like that into a race issue? Maybe it helps if you look at it from a child's eyes.

Plumber Klaas says:

Al Sharpton is a blackASS joke. As for Ms. Natopolis, what do expect from a Greek? The biggest racists around.

who else would carry a sack of crap for white kids but a jaboon?

Thank you... Plumb Klaas

Arjan says:

Noob,they should fire you, you got it totally wrong.

N.Div says:

I don't get it, it's racist... because he is black?

Is the merchant of Venice a racist play because some of the characters are Moores? Am I to understand that it would be less racist if the character were made white? White-wash the whole thing, so to speak? I'm sure you'd love that, wouldn't you Katie!

The explicit racism of liberals is amusing, abortion which targets blacks and minorities is a "right" (if you don't believe me, look at the rates, they are much higher for minorities). Planned parenthood, which builds clinics in minority areas, is their favorite organization. School choice, allowing blacks to attend the school of THEIR choice? Can't have that. Oh, but wait, some Republican said "Muccaca" - OH TEH OUTRAGE!! Some people in the Netherlands wearing face paint - HOW OFFENSIVE!! Keep up the demagoguery, and keep right on deciding you know what's best for minorities in America. Where would blacks be without you liberal white people to decide what's best for them, and watch out for things that dangerous scary things like this Zwarte Piet character!! Great work!

tubularbells says:

Yep.. the Dutch are generally a bit racist and xenophobic.

James says:

I have lived in holland for many years in the past, I was a young child when I left the countary, and loved the festival of sinterklass, I was around 5 to 8 then, now I am a grown man, and one day it just hit me, baaam, wait that was some really really racist stuff, 1 white man, on a horse with thousands of black slaves, you people can act as ignorant as you want, but even you must surely think, 1 white man being lifted by thousands of black guys on foot, its a open secret they are supposibly his slaves. Now for my white friends who have grown up in that same environment; you just haven't had that wake up call because when you imagine zhawrte piet you see candy and classrooms getting messed up, you dont see the actually racist undertone, im sure if you told this to a bunch of hardened white supremist they would laugh their heads off.

In school they used to ask us to bring food and plates, glasses for sinterklass, yes thats right, for the 1 sinterklass, who by the way is on a high horse whilst the blacks are on foot walking next to him doing all his chores. No one considers the poor black guys, clearly by mutual consent the one white man on the horse is held in higher regard than his thousands of slaves. In the 18th century this was comenplace, and this myth dates to around then, its just been past down, and even watered down, but its still what it was then and what it will always be; a racist sick joke.

The argument that he supposibly fell down a chimney, still doesnt explain why he suddenly has a friezy hair and red lips, tell that to a child not adut. Dont embarress yourself.

This is aimed at adults not children, there innocence is a blessing too them.

Atleast I can feel proud of not being a racist, you can think less of me if you chose too, but in reality i'm gratefull for what I got, I am not in need of a quick confidence boost such as bigheadklass and racistpiet.

HRDG says:

i am dutch, but have lived most of my life in America. So therefore, i was raised along with all other little american children and so i have celebrated all american traditions like halloween and thanksgiving. and yet i still dont get why everyone is so obsessed with this innocent tradition. it has NOTHING to do with racism at all. Natalie N you are so ignorant and its because of your type people in the netherlands get angry at americans. you obviously dont know sh*t about this tradition so you in my opinion cant have anything to say about this topic. first of all zwarte piet does not "abduct" anyone if youve been bad. just like santa claus Sinterklass (who by the way originates from the historic figure Saint Nikolaas) writes down if youve been good or bad. thats it!
I have recently moved back to the netherlands and am attending an international school. here there are plenty of black students and every year they take part in our celebration of sinterklaas at school. most of the black students at my school by the way are AMERICAN. so it is nice to know that atleast some americans understand.

now lets talk about some of america´s traditions. im not even going to mentions the millions of turkeys you slaughter every year for thanksgiving. now you all think that sinterklaas is so horrifying but look at christmas. first of all you have a fat white santa claus who has his own little sweat shop (have never seen a black elf), forcing elves to make toys all year long for children. hm i seem to think that there are infact sweat shops like this around the world where little children are forced to make things and get shot if the dont. moving on santa then gets on his lazy ass and forces reindeer to carry his fat ass and the amount of toys for all the children in the world all in the maount of time of one night. animal cruelty?

so before all you people start commenting on our traditions and way of life maybe you should focus on your own problems. recism is way more f´ed up in america then here, so dont ever think differently. focus on your wars and just leave us to celebrate our traditions. they make people happy.

HRDG says:

*oh my bad your name is Katie N. <--- when i said natalie i meant you. you dont know anything about this so dont write sh*t. didnt you learn to do research before writing stuff???

Michelle says:

I am black and dutch ...and do not find Zwarte Piet offensive. YOur story has so many inaccuracies that it amazes me that I must laugh at your own ignorance. I actually feel sorry that you beieve this ...but sometimes we look at life through the eyes of our own focused expereinces. (For you that would be through the eyes of an american).

Mind you ...I have never experienced racisim in Holland but do in the states on a daily basis.

You should fact check next time ... silly little girl, trying to come up with a story where there is no story there. Good try though.

Jeroen says:

Since when is a phedophile man dressed in a red and white suit sponsored by Coca Cola ( hence he 's obese) that puts kids (elfs) to work more (does he really live at the North pole or is it Myanmar?)appropiate then a Saint with a helper? I think traditions remain cultural, and should not be judged from an outsiders perspective. Good luck US with the fat man who is such a great role for your overweight kids.

Cheyenne says:

You know it's rather sad how some people in Belgium and the Netherlands and even in the rest of the world looking for a excuse to justify their so call tradition "Black Piet"or Black Peter of Santa CLaus, but i called in DENIAL or IGNORANCE . It's a good example of DOGMATISM.

Explain Dogmatism: Dogmatism is the more general interpretation of a belief or attitude that someone is unable to revise his opinions based on new information. The term "dogmatism" implies that someone in his beliefs and an unthinking conformist way without the foundations of uses in question to ask. Dogmatism is seen as incompatible with a scientific and / or rational mindset in which self-correction is an intrinsic part of it.

Example: There was a boy that was deeply convinced for years was that he was a corpse,
he could not let go of that idea.
So he goes to the doctor and explains his problem. The doctor asked the boy whether a
corps can bleed. "No," said the boy, so the doctor makes a little cut in his finger and it
began to bleed. The boy said, "You see, corpse do bleed.

The schools have denied people to learn about slavery so many people never learn to change the way of thinking and even now when you watch tv a comercial or movies you will see 8 out of 10 Black people been characterize in media's, movies etc. as dumb, crimenal or painting very black with very thick pink lips etc. Dutch/Belgium Santa Claus
"Black Piet or Black Peter" is very good example.

We had history of slavery because their were black and than we got world war because they were Jewish and now it's start because a small group of moslims did it we blame it on all of them….. so on…..so on…..so on… i wonder ….. did we really learn from our history or are we to proud to admit we didn't and stay ignorance or in denial while history repeat itself in another shape.

==========================================================================================================

Dutch:
Het is eigenlijk treurig dat er mensen zijn in Belgie en Nederland en in sommige andere landen die allerlei excuses zoeken om hun zogenaamde beeld van zwarte Piet van de Sinterklaas feest te rechtvaardigen. Eigenlijk is het ontkenning en onwetendheid. Maar de feit is hoe je het went of keert het blijft RACISME is. Dit is een goed voorbeeld van Dogmatisme.

Uitleg: Dogmatisme is de meer algemene duiding voor een overtuiging of houding waarbij iemand niet meer in staat is zijn opinies te herzien op grond van nieuwe informatie. Het begrip "dogmatisme" impliceert dat iemand zijn overtuigingen op een onnadenkende en conformistische manier hanteert zonder de fundamenten daarvan in vraag te willen stellen. Dogmatisme wordt als onverenigbaar gezien met een wetenschappelijke en/of rationele ingesteldheid waar zelfcorrectie intrinsiek deel van uit maakt.

Voorbeeld Dogmatisme: Een jongetje was jarenlang diep overtuigd dat hij een lijk was, hij geraakte
niet verlost van dat idee. Hij komt bij de dokter en legt zijn probleem uit.
De dokter vraagt aan het jongetje of een lijk kan bloeden.
"Nee" zei het jongetje, waarop de dokter in zijn vinger sneed en hij begon
te bloeden. Het jongetje zei: "Zie je wel, lijken bloeden toch".


In scholen wordt geen geschiedenis gegeven over slavernij gegeven. Wat misschien wel goed is. Voor decennia zijn zwarte mensen afgeschilderd als iemand die dom is of een crimineel of iemand die pik zwart is met dikke roze lippen de Nederlandse en Belgische Sinterklaas is een goed voorbeeld.

Wij hebben een geschiedenis van geweld, de slavernij omdat zij zwart waren, wij hadden de tweede wereld oorlog omdat ze Joods waren, nu begin het met omdat een klein groepje moslim iets doet en wij beschuldig iedereeen die moslim is. Ik vraag me af of wij werkelijk wat geleerd hebben van het verleden of zijn wij te trots om het toe te geven. Blijven we ontkennen of kiezen wij onwetendheid. En laten wij geschiedenis herhalen in een andere vorm.

Maricela Patxot says:

Katie, you are twisting things around Fox News style!

I'm black, I'm a Dutch citizen and I reside in the US. I grew up with Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet. Always looked forward to Dec 6, when I'd get to see what Sint & Piet had brought me!

Piet is a Moor, so he is black, but he is more like a helper, friend and companion to Sint. He does those things that Sint, due to his advanced age, cannot do. He does this voluntarily, the two of them are a TEAM. Piet is not and never was a slave. Piet is also known to be a prankster. Sint pretty much looks the other way on his many practical jokes.
Due to the sooth inside the chimneys that he goes through, he gets blackened, much as coal miners do here in the US.

Al Sharpton would have to have been born with this traditional feast to fully understand the history, and not just take it all at "blackface" value, like you did when you wrote the article last year. I do think that if anything, it would be more realistic to have black actors fill the role of Piet, who IS afterall, a person of color.

Maricela Patxot says:

BTW.
Did I somehow miss the black primaries that voted in Al Sharpton as the token spokesman, representative and conscience for all black Americans?

I thought Bill Clinton already had that role!

M. Patxot says:

And the only thing I do take offense to, is the cartoon images of Piet looking like a dimwit with a lazy eye and super huge lips and a wide nose that covers about half his face!
But THAT is the artist's doing, (in bad taste) and not a reflection on the whole holiday.

I always did take offense with the thankfully now banned candy, "negerzoenen". Yuck.

Etown says:

OMG europe has F'd up more then the states....hehehehehe sry but wasnt america that country that starts a war with every place where is oil, killed all the native people (who still dont have any rights anno 2010) in their land. hahahahaha it was a few rich we sended to there and for the rest it were criminals for whom we didnt have spaces left in our jails....better read your own history poor girlie, and for mr Patxot so if a negro female kisses me its Yuck? should we bann de boerenjongens (farmer sons can be offended) Jodenkoeken, witte meisjes, pinda's (some people can be offended if you order them) and all those items......i only can say grow up. I find it really pathetic the way you think and actaully i feel sry for you due to being an american. btw wasnt america the country where racism still is a issue these days and the home country of the KKK, just wondering? But hey i cant blame you guys for reading censored books, better to check the web for some real truth before you start blaming others.

DutchByNature says:

Wow, I cannot believe how this article was one of the first things that came up when looking for zwarte piet. It makes me doubt so many of the other information I have found on the web.

Katie, you should be ashamed of yourself, as your article is downright ignorant and full of horse-crap. Not only are you obviously without any sign of integrity for fact, I strongly believe you have slandered a culture and we should send a few Pete's to visit you and deliver a well deserved round of kicks in your Greek buttucks.

KojoC says:

My Dear Friends; Its called the pulling the RACE-CARD so don't take it serious, many of us don't;-) And guess what, I am Black & proud of it. I also consider it an a form of flattery for some who's not Black, to pretend they are. After all there's clowns amongst all races of people. And while I am at it; HAPPY HOLIDAYS :-)

KojoC says:

OH, AND DON'T MIND KATIE, SHE'S IN HER GLORY NOW, SOMEONE'S FINALLY NOTICING HER. HAHAHA, PO CHILD.-(

KNVB/AJAX_Fan says:

It is HI-larious how you Dutch are so logically tolerant of almost everything except for the facts surrounding Zwarte Piet. Sure, Katie Natopolis got a few of her facts wrong here...but, there's no denying that Black Pete is 1) Well...black. And, 2) Wears 16/17c. page/servant's (...aka SLAVE) attire.

The whole "he's only black because of the soot, from being a human chimney sweep..." excuse is even more hilarious!! Why isn't Santa Claus black, then? Why was 'Bert' the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins played by Dick Van Dyke, a white man (...NOT in blackface)?? Because that excuse is a heaping load o' schijt, that's why. I never knew that descending down a chimney would magically turn only your face and hands black, hair kinky, and lips large and red; all the while keeping your page/servant's (...aka SLAVE) attire immaculately clean?!? Such is the magic of the holiday season though, I guess...

I still love Holland and its people. I am biracial and hail from 5 nations (3 Euro/2 African). I am not overly sensitive either way, and call out BullShi+ on both sides. But, it's time for you Dutch to stop playing yourselves (...and, your children) and call a spade a spade...pun intended.

Trying to make excuses and comparison distractions to the American Thanksgiving turkey holocaust, and laughable myths of Santa, elf and flying reindeer abuse is just super lame, and only makes you all look more ignorant and guilty (looking @ you, HRDG...).