Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet

Sinterklaas

The more any North American learns of Sinterklaas the more connections can be made with our main man, Santa Claus. Although there are some very distinctive differences, for the large part they are virtually the same guy with different names, if you take my meaning. (No spoilers here boys and girls.)

The interesting dimension to the whole December story is with the elves…um, um…I mean zwarte pieten. Sinterklaas is a saintly, rather generous guy who does his best work in early December. Although not portrayed as portly as Clement C. Moore’s jolly ole elf, Sint (as Dutchies affectionately refer to him) does have a white beard and he does provide gifts to all the good boys and girls. Both Sint and Santy have people, as they say.

Sinterklaas has Zwarte Piet (literally translated to Black Pete or Black Peter) whose origins can be traced back to at least 1850 when he first appeared in Sint Nikolaas en zijn Knecht (St. Nicholas and his Servant), a book by Jan Schenkman. Before that, Zwarte Piet probably evolved from the Norse legend, Wild Hunt of Woden. Riding a white horse and flying through the air, Woden depended on two black crows to peer into the homes of children to determine the ones with good behavior from the rest. As his legend grew, Zwarte Piet could be depended upon to do the same.

     

In the earliest iterations of Sinterklaas, he and his servant were known to carry bad children in burlap sacks back to Spain where they live. (Hey, Spain or North Pole, these guys live far away.) The modern day transformation of Sinterklaas from a child-stealing, nightmare-inducing menace into a kindly old saint who leaves cool stuff for good children coincided with the transformation of Zwarte Piet from indentured servant into a trusted, fun-loving assistant.

I hear Barcelona is nice this time of year...

By the time Schenkman’s book was published, Sinterklaas’s servant went by many names. In 1891 in a different book, he was named Zwarte Piet, and the name stuck, but it was Schenkman’s illustrated image of a dark-skinned person wearing the costume of a Spanish Moor that became the prevailing conception—black skin, red lips, curly black hair, and the Moorish garb. Maybe you can see the problem…

Young spectator watching the parade dressed as Zwarte Piet, sort of...

…and what a problem is has become. As the controversy grew regarding Zwarte Piet’s appearance, the apologists seemed to adjust the legend as necessary. Some now claim Piet is black because he comes down the chimney to open the door for Sint. The truth is, if not a direct reference to the African slave trade no one knows for sure why Zwarte Piet is depicted as black. What’s also true is that loads of folks are not happy. The controversy is not reserved for the Dutch. American author, David Sedaris and British comedian, Russell Brand have weighed in. Things were so contentious in western Canada in 2011, Sinterklass celebrations were cancelled altogether.

Sint and Piet left these for the "good" boys downstairs

Here in Holland the issue is so controversial so that in 2013 in the Dutch city of Gouda protestors clashed with supporters in a violent confrontation. In 2014 the entire matter was taken to court. The decision rendered included the opinion that Zwarte Piet was indeed offensive and perpetuated a negative stereotype of black people. You would think that put the thing to bed, right?

Fun for all

Wrong. On Saturday Gwaz and I decided to join the rest of the children and watch Sinterklaas arrive in the style of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Right on schedule the processional made its way through the small town where we live. Like I said, ole Sinterklaas has people. In fact these days Sint is assisted by “zwarte pieten” (many Black Petes) and sure enough down the street they came along with marching bands, antique cars and a magnificent antique horse-drawn carriage. Knowing how controversial the whole zwarte piet issue is, I thought for sure that this parade would feature rainbow colored pieten as has been the case in other places where the need to perpetuate the legend outweighs the insult. I was wrong. Every last one of them—replete with black curly hair and bright red lips—had black skin.

  

For now, I’m sticking with Santy Claus…at least until the Defense League for Vertically Challenged Toymakers spoils the fun.