1.2 million Dutch reject criticism of "racist" Sinterklaas tradition

[News_Editor]

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- More than 1.2 million people have joined a petition on the social networking website Facebook to reject criticism of the annual Sinterklaas tradition in the Netherlands which a United Nations (UN) representative has condemned as "racist" and "a throwback to slavery."

The "Pietitie" page was created by two Dutch men on Tuesday afternoon after Verene Shepherd, the chairperson of the UN's Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, called for an end to the popular children's festival. Her comments made headlines and became a much-discussed subject across the country.

Sinterklaas is a traditional winter holiday figure in mainly the Netherlands and Belgium, but his black helpers Zwarte Piet - or Black Pete in English - are a recurring subject of debate. The annual tradition, which is one of the sources of Santa Claus, involves nationwide welcoming events in which Sinterklaas arrives on a boat and rides a horse through the streets while being accompanied by his black-colored helpers.

Nearly two dozen people have complained against Zwarte Piet being used in the upcoming welcoming ceremony in Amsterdam, leading to a hearing attended by dozens of people and further igniting the discussion as to whether the helpers are being depicted as slaves. Those in favor of the black helpers argue that Zwarte Piet is "black as soot," as the traditional story involves the helpers climbing down dirty chimneys to deliver gifts to children.

"Don't let the Netherlands' most beautiful tradition disappear," the Pietitie page said, along with other slogans calling for Zwarte Piet to stay black. The page surpassed 1 million likes within 24 hours and increased to 1.2 million likes by early Wednesday evening, making it the most-liked Dutch-language page ever.

"I never felt that it was a racist thing at all," wrote supporter Cheryl Ann LaValais, who identified herself as a foreigner living in the Netherlands. "How could a little child even think that way, so that is why this tradition should stay, kids are not born to be racist, it is taught to them. Let them enjoy their holiday."

Another person criticized calls to exclude Black Pete, saying it would be racist to exclude the black-colored helpers because of their skin color. Another Facebook page, which is titled "Black Pete is Racist" and calls for a children's festival without "racist overtones and without exclusion," has gathered only 7,400 likes since October 2011.

The Facebook petition comes soon after a newly-released poll suggested that 95 percent of Dutch people do not associate Zwarte Piet with slavery. It also showed 91 percent of Dutch people do not believe Zwarte Piet's black color should be changed on the basis of a small number of complaints, and 81 percent of respondents would consider such a change unacceptable.

The comments by Shepherd came days after it emerged that her working group is investigating the issue and expects to present a report to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights by September next year. She said the group hopes the report will be discussed in the United Nations General Assembly, after which the UN can request the Netherlands to take action.

"The working group cannot understand why it is that people in the Netherlands cannot see that this is a throwback to slavery and that in the 21st century this practice should stop," Shepherd said on Tuesday in an interview with Dutch current affairs TV program EenVandaag. "I feel that I, if I were living in the Netherlands, as a black person, I would object to it."

The chairperson said she was "obliged" to do further research as a member of the working group, and said the members could be proven wrong if they receive new information. Shepherd also called on Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has said Zwarte Piet is not a government issue, to take action and influence cultural groups who organize and promote the event.

Attempts in previous years to introduce rainbow-colored helpers in some Dutch cities have been met with resistance and a large number of complaints. Still, a municipality in the country's northeast announced on Tuesday that it had decided to use rainbow-colored helpers this year to show "it does not matter whether you are a black pete or a green, yellow or blue pete."

"It's offensive," Shepherd added in Tuesday's interview, during which she suggested there is no need for Sinterklaas. "We don't go around saying all white people look like this or white people look like that. We don't do that. And what is wrong with one Santa Claus? Why do you have to have two Santa Clauses?"

In the Netherlands, however, even though Christmas is celebrated, Santa Claus is not as popular as Sinterklaas.

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[NxaiPan]

Are there not more pressing problems in Africa?

[coma]

1.2 million for. "Nearly half a dozen " against. Looks like the people have spoken.

[JoeThePoster]

Pot bellied White man in drag brings gifts to Christian children and ignores Jews. That's racist.

[SjaakNL2013]

As child i loved those black guys... Zwarte Pieten.. They did run in the classroom and trow 'pepernoten'.

I think that people have nothing else to do then protect their own jobs now days. Ms. Sheppard act like a German Sheppard, bite before know something. This woman did have her judgement already before she even look in the case. That seems nowadays the normal way of conducting a inquiry. They don't care just get the news and cash your pay check.

Zwarte Pieten belong by Sinterklaas.And Sinterklaas ride his White horse over the roofs. If he find good children the Zwarte Pieten trow some presents to the chimmy. If he find bad kids he send his his Zwarte Pieten to get the child and then it's brought to Spain.

Its a story from long way back and belong to the Dutch culture. We don't need an UN to look in that.

****Foreign language removed****

Edited October 24, 2013 by metisdead
This is an English language forum, English is the only acceptable language, except in the Thai language forum where Thai language is allowed.

[coma]

This is not a one off thing . A lot of schools around the world are being forced to abandon all Christmas activities in public schools due to it being " offensive" to non-Christian students.

[Gulfsailor]

This is not a one off thing . A lot of schools around the world are being forced to abandon all Christmas activities in public schools due to it being " offensive" to non-Christian students.

True. And I agree that having a Christmas play at school about birth of Christ is also very much about tradition as it is religion. The only major difference is that most kids in holland by the age of 11 or 12 are told or figure out Sinterklaas is fake. Unfortunately that important bit is omitted from the Christian ferry tale. That's what makes it so dangerous and why some people want to ban all religious expressions from public schools.

[robblok]

As child i loved those black guys... Zwarte Pieten.. They did run in the classroom and trow 'pepernoten'.

I think that people have nothing else to do then protect their own jobs now days. Ms. Sheppard act like a German Sheppard, bite before know something. This woman did have her judgement already before she even look in the case. That seems nowadays the normal way of conducting a inquiry. They don't care just get the news and cash your pay check.

Zwarte Pieten belong by Sinterklaas.And Sinterklaas ride his White horse over the roofs. If he find good children the Zwarte Pieten trow some presents to the chimmy. If he find bad kids he send his his Zwarte Pieten to get the child and then it's brought to Spain.

Its a story from long way back and belong to the Dutch culture. We don't need an UN to look in that.

****Foreign language removed****

Agree its plain crazy to see this as something racist. The kids love the "zwarte pieten" never did it enter my mind as a kid that this was racism or that blacks should serve older whites. Whatever sometimes things are blown way out of proportions.

Only 7% of the people in Amsterdam were against "zwarte piet" anyway its stupid to see racism in this. Maybe if you look through adult eyes. But it is a children party.

[SjaakNL2013]

I am to long away from Holland.. and school , to know that. But I would find it very sad if things like that would be banned. Holland have many nice and funny christian traditions. I know that all change but for me those days where a great thing even I am not religious.

But a Eastern with the eggs, a Christmas with the chicken and turkey eating , sitting around the open fire with the hole family and play outside in snow or ride skate on the canals.and a Sinterklaas party with hot cacao and small presents are great remembrances.

Sad, well maybe they have now a Sinterklaas App for in Line.

[SjaakNL2013]

As child i loved those black guys... Zwarte Pieten.. They did run in the classroom and trow 'pepernoten'.

I think that people have nothing else to do then protect their own jobs now days. Ms. Sheppard act like a German Sheppard, bite before know something. This woman did have her judgement already before she even look in the case. That seems nowadays the normal way of conducting a inquiry. They don't care just get the news and cash your pay check.

Zwarte Pieten belong by Sinterklaas.And Sinterklaas ride his White horse over the roofs. If he find good children the Zwarte Pieten trow some presents to the chimmy. If he find bad kids he send his his Zwarte Pieten to get the child and then it's brought to Spain.

Its a story from long way back and belong to the Dutch culture. We don't need an UN to look in that.

****Foreign language removed****

Agree its plain crazy to see this as something racist. The kids love the "zwarte pieten" never did it enter my mind as a kid that this was racism or that blacks should serve older whites. Whatever sometimes things are blown way out of proportions.

Only 7% of the people in Amsterdam were against "zwarte piet" anyway its stupid to see racism in this. Maybe if you look through adult eyes. But it is a children party.

It's sad to see that a so small group can spoil a party.

Sometimes i think that this groups, rasism, holocoust, woman libration, and so on have nothing to do then try to correct the other 99% of the community of their right.

And most is done for self esteem and to justify their subsidies they receive from those 99%..

[Steely Dan]

Good on the Dutch! The English could learn a thing or two from this and stop apologizing for having a history and culture that might offend the sensibilities of professional whingers. There is a saying to the effect that a conservative is a liberal who got mugged, perhaps repeated muggings have rendered the Dutch to be conservatives as the latest Dutch opinion polls show with Gert Wilders PPV out in front. I think calls to scrap the likes of Sinterklaas will only serve to boost the conservatives even more.

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/09/polls_put_wilders_pvv_out_on_t.php

[SjaakNL2013]

GOOD NEWS...

The whole Sinterklaas thing is an action outside the UN and Miss German Shepard did use the UN to put it on the world new platform.

A delegation from Dutch politicians, who is in USA, wanted to talk about this subject with Ms. Shepard but she is hiding. After talks with officials from the UN, who inform the delegation about the almost non exciting role of Ms Shepard, all is cleared.

Ms Shepard, who in for all if it's racism or woman discrimination, seems to have started this for her own benefit and together with some others used the UN paper to give it a official face. And the world press jumped on it because they love to write stories, true or not, as long if it sells copies.

Case solved and we keep our Zwarte Pieten.

Below the Dutch Newspaper article..... in Dutch

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/21999202/___Piet_mag_zwart_blijven____.html

And some photos from a Zwarte Piet

http://images0.tcdn.nl/feed/article21998028.ece/BINARY/d/IMG_PA5Piet4_2_1_EBQC2AH.jpg

and a Zeur Piet

http://images0.tcdn.nl/feed/article21994777.ece/BINARY/d/IMG_hk_prof_shepherd_2_1_OIQBB78.jpg

[SjaakNL2013]

Good on the Dutch! The English could learn a thing or two from this and stop apologizing for having a history and culture that might offend the sensibilities of professional whingers. There is a saying to the effect that a conservative is a liberal who got mugged, perhaps repeated muggings have rendered the Dutch to be conservatives as the latest Dutch opinion polls show with Gert Wilders PPV out in front. I think calls to scrap the likes of Sinterklaas will only serve to boost the conservatives even more.

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/09/polls_put_wilders_pvv_out_on_t.php

You can t call, Geert Wilders,and his PVV, conservatives. But this is a off topic and total other discussion.

[boomerangutang]

When I first came to Thailand, 30 years ago, there was a toothpaste called 'Darkie' which had a drawn picture of a pleasant-looking man in 'dark face' wearing a top hat. There must have been some protest, because the toothpaste's name has been changed to 'Darlie.' but an updated depiction of the same face is still on the toothpaste tube.

[DiamondKing]

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD as an Englishman who was married to a dutch lady for many years I have attended many Sinterclaus in Holland and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING RACIST ABOUT THIS AT ALL in any way shape or form it has always been my understanding after asking about Piet that they are black because they come down the chimney and are black because of the soot but even if that was not the case I still have never ever seen it portrayed as racist only thousands of kids smiling faces as they see sinterclaus .and his helpers appear by boat or whatever other means he arrives by.

Edited October 28, 2013 by DiamondKing