Zwarte Piet

Yesterday we made our annual visit to Westminster Quay for the arrival of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet (St. Nicolaas and Black Peter). It was too cold and wet for pictures, but here's one from last year. Note Ariana caressing the jeweled sceptre.

I have very fond childhood memories of this Dutch tradition, where the stately old Spanish bishop in his red velvet robes brings gifts for the good children, but dispenses his blackfaced helper to spank the naughty ones, or worse, carry them off to Spain in a large burlap sack.

I clearly remember sitting with my schoolmates in the gym of my elementary school (a private school where most children were of Dutch heritage), waiting for Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet to arrive. Despite the fun of scrambling for pepernoten (small ginger cookies) tossed into the crowd, I was terrified of both the imposing St. Nicolaas and his mattenklopper-wielding helper.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized how unusual it is to have a cultural custom that involves blackface. I've heard many different explanations for Zwarte Piet's black skin: he was an orphaned slave adopted by St. Nicolaas; he was a Moorish assistant who enjoyed helping out the bishop; his skin was blackened by soot from coming down the chimney; he was a little black devil.

As a kid I didn't assign any ethnicity to Zwarte Piet; he was so cartoonish that he seemed a clown more than anything. Or is that racism right there?

Every winter there is renewed debate in the Netherlands over whether Black Peter is innocent good fun, or a horrifying embodiment of racism. The US-based head office of a cocoa processing plant in the Netherlands has banned this year's Sinterklaas party on company property because of concerns about racism.

There was a push a few years ago in Holland for Zwarte Piet to be colours other than black. Children were to be told that Zwarte Piet was pink or blue because St. Nicolaas' ship had passed through a rainbow on the way into harbour. This new interpretation has not been widely embraced.

I'm not sure where I stand on this. I love the tradition of Sinterklaas, but I'm taken aback every year by the blackface. Have my politically correct sensitivities been too finely honed by years in Vancouver?

The fact that it's a Dutch tradition being celebrated in Canada also makes it difficult to contextualize. Would having the entire country abuzz, watching the arrival of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet live on national television, and storefront displays of golliwogs make it more acceptable? Or more sinister?

Comments

[Diana]

my favourite thing about that picture is ariana's fat little legs. sigh. she is such a cutie-pie!

[Karin]

Funny, we were at the Quay as well -- but I didn't see you there! I'm enjoying your blog BTW. Looking forward to more of your toys series :)

Know what I remember from Zwarte Piet? Being hit in the head with those darn cookies!

[kurt]

One word...."Imus"

[Hilary]

I worked for 2 different American companies in the 7 years I spent in the Netherlands. Both of the offices (and employees many skin colours) embraced Sinterklaas and all its traditions. I'm not sure, however, what the head offices would have thought. Noone asked... One dark skinned American customer of mine who was in NL around Sinterklaas loved the 'golliwogs' so much she bought one... We make life far too complicated over here!

[Tyleen]

I'm a Canadian who has been living in the Netherlands for the past 10 years and I can honestly say that after a decade I've finally gotten used to the Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters). The first couple years it struck me as terribly racist and was always looking over my shoulder to see if there were any Dutch-Africans racing in to protest... but no, they all just join in the fun.

Last year we did have multi-coloured Piets when the ship did indeed go through a rainbow (as seen live on the Sinterklaas News). I've always heard that the Piets are black because of the soot from the coal they shovel on the steamboat that brings them from Spain to the Netherlands. Historically they really are Moors that Sint uses to help him.

Whatever the background is, it doesn't seem to matter to the kids who dress up in bright colours and paint thier faces black (my kids included).

[nakija]

this is so racist ,black people being slaves for the white man .