Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet (I)
It’s that time of the year folks. Sinterklaas and Black Pete are back and are anxiously waiting to come around December 5th. Ever since my first encounter with Black Pete in November 2006 (which coincided with my first visit to the Netherlands), I’ve mused over and over again how to effectively communicate with the rest of the Dutch population about how I found the tradition insensitive towards minorities, especially of those of African ancestry.
At one point, I thought of possibly asking a Dutch person, “Do you think it would be a great idea if in first establishing Dutch-American relations if the Prime Minister Jan Peter personally gave the newly elected President Obama two Zwarte Piet dolls for his daughters?”
I’ve decided to open this discussion with an article written by Jim Crow Ferris State University . Due to time constraints and other important real-world deadlines that need my attention, I’m unable to dedicate the time and care to develop a carefully illustrated argument that elicits discourse. From my own experience, if I ever felt being too harshly criticized or being attacked, I simply stopped listening, go on the defensive and possibly resort to attack back. Rather, I want to start a dialogue and I’m convinced that this article may help.
Before also preceding, I also want to say that I have opened myself up to being possibly self-contradictory. Residing in the Netherlands, I have met many wonderful, open-minded, educated and kind-hearted Dutch people who celebrate the tradition without a trace of malice or ill intentions. In particular, I have a soft spot for Dutch-Australian family who’s precious baby boy will be celebrating his very 1st birthday on December 5th. His father, a gregarious, jolly psychiatrist is infamously known for coming up with the most dramatic Sinterklaas poems.
The following is directly from Jim Crow Ferris State University: Who Is Black Peter?
Q: Who is Black Peter and what does he have to do with Christmas?
– Vera Falk, Warren, Ohio
A: Every Black person in the Netherlands hears being shouted at least once a year; “Look, black Peter!!!!”. The fact that it is often a child mistaking me for “black Peter”, a Sambo/Golliwog-figure that’s part of a Dutch ‘holiday’, does not make it less painful.
On the fifth of December two very persistent myths join hands in the Netherlands. One is the myth about “Saint Nicholas”, the other is the myth on the existence of race, and its manifestation; racism.
On the fifth of December two very persistent myths join hands in the Netherlands. One is the myth about “Saint Nicholas”, the other is the myth on the existence of race, and its manifestation; racism.
Nicholas was a bishop who lived in (what we now call) ‘Turkey’. After he died the Byzantium church declared him a Saint. The legendary bishop is remembered during an annual holiday that is widely celebrated in the Low Lands; in offices, schools and homes. The idea is to give each other presents and to write poems filled with irony and humour, offering you the chance to poke fun at each other. Children are taught to believe that they receive their presents from Saint Nicholas who is accompanied by a black servant called ‘Black Peter’. Adults will dress up as Saint Nicholas and Black Peter (a white person painted in black face), and visit children and adults. Saint Nicholas “arrives” from Spain in November by boat in Holland together with his black servants. This ritual is shown on national television and opens the festivities. From that time on the stores are filled with candy, books, decorations and toys covered with representations of coal black skin and ruby red lips and an old white male with a funny hat. Children sing songs at school referring to the skin tone and character of Black Servant “…even if I’m black as coal I mean well…’ and play ‘Black Peter’ by painting their face black.
Before I’ll problematize this controversial black figure I will discuss his white master, Saint Nicholas.
There are several books written about ‘Saint Nicholas’ that give different explanations about his origin. Some ascribe to him an origin that is strictly Christian while others write about a mythological origin that goes back to Wodan, German God of wind and fertility. Writer Rahina Hassankhan (1988) states that the Saint Nicholas-legend we are familiar with now is probably based on stories about two figures that both lived in the province of Lyke. The youngest bishop named Nicholas lived in the 6th century and became known for his ability to cure people from bad spirits and illnesses. He died in December 564. The older bishop who was also called Nicholas was born in the 3rd century near a city called Myra. He died on the sixth of December.
Many legends were being told in which Nicholas is the patron of children, sailors, merchants and female virgins so the Byzantium church declared him a Saint. One such a story is the tale of a poor nobleman who is unable to offer a dowry for his daughters, so they may marry. He decides that his daughters will have to prostitute themselves in order to survive. Saint Nicholas prevents this from happening by throwing bags filled with money through the poor nobleman’s window at night. Each bag contains enough for the dowry of a daughter and makes it possible for them to marry. Many of the legends take place in the so-called ‘Land of the Mores’ as Byzantium was at war with the Arabs during the 9th century (Meisen, 1933).
In the 10th and 11th century Saint Nicholas became known for his legendary miracles in what we now refer to as ‘Western – Europe’ (one can still find a lot of churches that carry his name). His remains were stolen from Myra, the city he died, and transferred to Bari, South Italy, in 1087. Christians who thought it wasn’t right that his remains were on Islamic ground did this. As a consequence of this transfer, which was experienced as a triumph, Bari became a destination for pilgrims. The Roman Catholic Church began to celebrate December 5th, the day Nicholas has thought to have died. In the convent-schools, children would perform the stories of the legends. One child would be chosen to play “Saint Nicholas”, while the other children would blacken their faces and play the devil. These stories were performed throughout the month until the 28th of December.
From the beginning of the twelfth century on, it was publicly celebrated in the streets. But the Protestant reformation brought an end to this. The celebration was forbidden because it was perceived as idolatry. From that time Saint Nicholas was no longer an official Saint. In spite of this the celebration continued to exist in the Netherlands in the private sphere of people’s homes and after the French revolution the holiday re-enters public life (Nederveen Pieterse, 1995, 1998).
As stated earlier the black slave-characters that accompanied Saint Nicholas originally symbolised the devil, a ‘joker’ who was submissive, frightening and disobedient at once. At this point there were no ‘racial’ references to people of African descent. Although the Mores were also associated with the devil, the blackness of the children did not refer to them but to the devil-figure. In other words; this color bias preceded the racial-bias. When Saint Nicholas re-appeared at the end of the 18th century after being banned, he returned alone, without Black Peter.
