Sat, 26 May 2012
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Traditionally, in mid-November, two weeks before his celebrated Feast Day, Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands by boat from his home in Spain. We look into the background to this long-standing tradition which culminates in present-giving on 5 December.Accompanied by his white horse (Schimmel) and his helpers, the Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes), Sinterklaas or Sint Niklaas (Saint Nicholas) arrives in the Netherlands to signify the start of the holiday season. This event is broadcast live, and each year Sinterklaas arrives in a different city-- this year Sint moves into the Netherlands via Dordrecht.
This official arrival, on a Saturday, is followed on Sunday by Sinta's arrival in Amsterdam and he arrives, unofficially, anyhow in most towns and cities across the Netherlands and may still be on his way to you. Check out arrival locations and times in other places across the Netherlands here. Alkmaar 2007: 
Saint Nicholas's horse got stressed-out in Alkmaar and shook Sint off his back by sitting down.
Photo by Peter Kerkhove
If you've got young children and miss out on his arrival, don't despair, you'll see his tall (we're in the Netherlands after all) bishop-like figure everywhere, in shopping malls, in schools, and gracing parties across the Netherlands. Plus, Children can start participating from now by putting out their shoe at night and a carrot for the horse and a glass of milk (or wine) for Sinterklaas and his helpers. During the two weeks before his 'birthday', Sinterklaas 'rides across rooftops at night on his white horse, listening through chimneys for good children and leaving them treats and sweeties in their shoes. The build up is to the eve before his Feast Day (Sinterklaasavond), when Sinterklaas delivers gifts to good children and coal to children who have been naughty.
On Sinterklaasavond (5 December), children anxiously wait for Sinterklaas to knock on their door. Although Sint will usually have flown by the time they answer, a sack full of gifts will await them on their doorstep. Following Sinterklaas' visit, each member of the family takes turns handing out presents and unwrapping them. Names are printed on each gift, and almost every present is accompanied by a humorous poem about the gift's recipient. Check out our Sinterklaas Survival guide for more details and a link to a Sinterklaas poem generator.
Families celebrate Sinterklaas' Feast by singing songs and indulging in a feast of their own, which consists mainly of sweets like marzipan, chocolate initials, pepernoten (ginger biscuits) and hot chocolate with whipped cream.
Who was Sint Niklaas?
The original Saint Nicholas was a Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the first half of the fourth century. By the late middle ages, his death – or birth into heaven – on 6 December, was commemorated annually. St Nicholas came back to earth bearing gifts for all deserving children and punished the rest through leaving birch switches behind for parental use.
[Left: Painting of the Bishop of Myra by early Dutch painter Gerard David (c. 1460 - 1523)]
Now, St Nicholas arrives in Flanders and the Netherlands in November from Spain - It is widely believed that Spanish sailors brought the legend of Saint Nicholas to the Netherlands - to get ready for the special celebrations on 6 December. While the Dutch celebrate on 5 December, in Flanders celebrations take place on the day (6 December) with more focus on the children than the whole family.
St Nicholas and his white horse have also been associated with the pagan legend of the Germanic god Wodon (Danish god Odin), an all-powerful deity who was believed to fly through the air on a magic horse each December on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
The image
The traditional image of Sinterklaas is one of a bishop, clothed in a white garment and wrapped in a red cloak. He wears a tall red and gold hop'smiter (head dress) that covers his long white curly hair. He usually wears white gloves, and in one hand carries a long metal staff and in the other hand the book of names. Like the North American concept of Santa Claus, he has a long white beard, however, unlike his North American cousin; he's austere and elegant rather than fat and jolly.
Zwarte Piet
Sint Niklaas' companions, Black Pieten, have long been the cause of controversy..
Handing out pepernoten
The origin of the Zwarte Piet character is uncertain. Some speculate that Zwarte Piet is a symbol of the medieval Christian idea of evil, which is associated with darkness; hence the symbolically blacked out face. Others believe it is more probable that Zwarte Piet is Saint Nicholas' Moorish servant.
As reported in an academic paper by Alison Blakely, 'Blacks in the Dutch World: The Evolution of Racial Imagery in a Modern Society': "The inimitable, enduring figure of Zwarte Piet may be the best representation of all of the composite image of blacks which has come down through the centuries. He is based on a Christian religious tradition going all the way back to the Classical period of Western civilisation."
Wikipedia's definition supports the theory that in fact Zwarte Piet originally represented the 'Devil' and their definition of Zwarte Piet leads you into the ongoing Zwarte Piet debate in the Netherlands as to the political correctness of continuing with this tradition. Evidently attempts to introduce multicoloured Pieten over the last decade of the 20th Century have proved unsuccessful and this year the Netherlands has reverted to the 'black' Peter.
However, after having trawled through some forums I glean from people who have grown up with this tradition that it is not a racist thing, and that the message they were given as a child and the message they pass down to their children is that Zwarte Piet's face is blackened with soot due to his entering houses via the chimney.
(Dierenpark, Amersfoort)
The image
Zwarte Pieten wear colourful costumes usually comprising puffed pantaloons and the ruffles of a Renaissance European page. They are adorned with gold earrings and hats with feathers and assist Sinterklaas by performing various holiday tasks, like delivering presents down chimneys (and through central heating systems) and recording names of naughty and nice children in Sinterklaas' book of names.
Who's that with Santa?
For those of you who've travelled around Europe and who may have become confused about who's who at Christmas, reader of Expatica Belgium, Donna De Block-Stojanovich, points out "Saint Nicolas and his assistant Pere Fouettard are celebrated by Francophones in Belgium the same as Sint Niklaas and Zwarte Piet are in Flanders. Père Noël is the French equivalent to the Kerstman in flemish and Santa Claus in English [who arrive bearing gifts on the eve of 25 December], and they are not accompanied by Zwarte Piet/Père Fouettard."
Brussels-based Kim Campbell compiled the table below to make sure things are absolutely clear:
| Who's who at Christmas? | |||
| English | St Nicholas | Black Peter | Father Christmas/ Santa Claus |
| French | St Nicolas | Père Fouettard | Père Noël |
| Dutch | Sint Niklaas/ Sinterklaas | Zwarte Piet | Kerstman |
What's your view on the Zwarte Piet tradition?
If you would like to comment on this topic, we'v opened up an annual debate here on the Expatica Community.
Inviting your best Sinterklaas pictures/ videos
We'd like to showcase your views of this Dutch tradition. Send your photos and videos to http://www.flickr.com/people/expatica/. All contributed material will be credited accordingly.
Expatica/ NG
It's about the fact that we in the Netherlands feel it's still okay to portray black people in this way. Other countries are by far much more sensitive to black history and the image that zwarte piet still has. I am white, I have a partner and family who are black. I will never understand fully what he feels when he sees white people blacking themselves up again but I do know it's wrong. When I hear about schools in Amsterdam getting rid of Zwarte Piet in zuidoost for example, then I know that the black community feels strongly about this as well. At my sons school there are many parents who also object but feel it's a lost battle as it is impossible to even question this old "tradition" If we keep on being ignorant then things will never change.
I lived in Holland for ten years and never once was offended by Zwarte Piet. I lived in the deep South of USA for years, also, and was offended by how the black were treated, not by the skin color of anyone. Respect, love, caring, etc. are what makes a nation, and loving those around us. And what better sense of love than the gift of Jesus, or if you don't believe in that fashion, the love of giving, regardless of your skin color. Why do we have to take a loving event and now politicize it? If it offends anyone, look inside. As a therapist, I am aware of the shadow effect..what offends a person as they judge another is something in their own background that needs to be challenged. You can have your opinion, of course, but don't disallow mine, or anyone else's .
What was done in the USA, btw, was criminal...I lived in the deep South in the 60's, and it was evil. I was fired for not calling a black man by his first name; out of respect to him I used Mr. in front of his name and was immediately called to the back office and fired. This had nothing to do with skin color, it was about bias and prejudice and "White Supremacy" nothing of which Zwarte Piet represents.
What a nonsense! This is an age old childrens celebration and the Black Petes do not look anything like real black people. It is not racist, the Piets are black cos they have to go through the chimneys.
Dont be so overly sensitive. Get over it!
I agree. Zwarte Piet is Sinterklaas' highly appreciated helper. He is not a servant, if anything he would be Sinterklaas' employee and right hand man. The Zwarte Pieten help Sinterklaas gather, wrap and deliver all packages and inform him about the good and the naughty children. Without them, this celebration could not exist as an elderly person like Sinterklaas (he is the senior of Saint Nic by many centuries) would never be able to deliver gifts to all children in just one night.
It is funny that I never hear any negative comments about Santa Claus' elves. Although they may not be black, they are small (also a minoriy in the Western world) and they have the same role as Zwarte Piet, namely help Santa Claus gather and wrap all presents and inform him about who has been naughty or nice. The only difference is that Saint Nic delivers the gifts without any assistance from the elves. If you want to be offended however, you can also say that these little people are a minority which are treated as servants as well.
Bottom line: like Sinterklaas, Zwarte Piet is highly appreciated and well loved by all children. His character has nothing to do with racism or putting down black people. In stead he is all about making chidren happy and spoiling them and who can object to that?
"Black Pieten have long been the cause of controversy".
Not in The Netherlands, where Zwarte Pieten are well loved, and hardly debated. Ten to twenty years ago there was the occasional school which experimented with multi-coloured Pieten, but that seems to have vanished because of lack of success.
Zwarte Pieten are black, clown-like helpers, and children do not connect them with the real 'black' people that live around them (like people from Suriname).
The 'controversy' is mainly within expat circles.
Hi Hannes,
How do you know what effect this has on children? See Expatica's Annual Zwarte Piet debate:
http://community.expatica.com/forums/topic/46488/-/view/post_id/285065
It's about the fact that we in the Netherlands feel it's still okay to portray black people in this way. Other countries are by far much more sensitive to black history and the image that zwarte piet still has. I am white, I have a partner and family who are black. I will never understand fully what he feels when he sees white people blacking themselves up again but I do know it's wrong. When I hear about schools in Amsterdam getting rid of Zwarte Piet in zuidoost for example, then I know that the black community feels strongly about this as well. At my sons school there are many parents who also object but feel it's a lost battle as it is impossible to even question this old "tradition" If we keep on being ignorant then things will never change.
I lived in Holland for ten years and never once was offended by Zwarte Piet. I lived in the deep South of USA for years, also, and was offended by how the black were treated, not by the skin color of anyone. Respect, love, caring, etc. are what makes a nation, and loving those around us. And what better sense of love than the gift of Jesus, or if you don't believe in that fashion, the love of giving, regardless of your skin color. Why do we have to take a loving event and now politicize it? If it offends anyone, look inside. As a therapist, I am aware of the shadow effect..what offends a person as they judge another is something in their own background that needs to be challenged. You can have your opinion, of course, but don't disallow mine, or anyone else's .
What was done in the USA, btw, was criminal...I lived in the deep South in the 60's, and it was evil. I was fired for not calling a black man by his first name; out of respect to him I used Mr. in front of his name and was immediately called to the back office and fired. This had nothing to do with skin color, it was about bias and prejudice and "White Supremacy" nothing of which Zwarte Piet represents.
What a nonsense! This is an age old childrens celebration and the Black Petes do not look anything like real black people. It is not racist, the Piets are black cos they have to go through the chimneys.
Dont be so overly sensitive. Get over it!
I agree. Zwarte Piet is Sinterklaas' highly appreciated helper. He is not a servant, if anything he would be Sinterklaas' employee and right hand man. The Zwarte Pieten help Sinterklaas gather, wrap and deliver all packages and inform him about the good and the naughty children. Without them, this celebration could not exist as an elderly person like Sinterklaas (he is the senior of Saint Nic by many centuries) would never be able to deliver gifts to all children in just one night.
It is funny that I never hear any negative comments about Santa Claus' elves. Although they may not be black, they are small (also a minoriy in the Western world) and they have the same role as Zwarte Piet, namely help Santa Claus gather and wrap all presents and inform him about who has been naughty or nice. The only difference is that Saint Nic delivers the gifts without any assistance from the elves. If you want to be offended however, you can also say that these little people are a minority which are treated as servants as well.
Bottom line: like Sinterklaas, Zwarte Piet is highly appreciated and well loved by all children. His character has nothing to do with racism or putting down black people. In stead he is all about making chidren happy and spoiling them and who can object to that?
"Black Pieten have long been the cause of controversy".
Not in The Netherlands, where Zwarte Pieten are well loved, and hardly debated. Ten to twenty years ago there was the occasional school which experimented with multi-coloured Pieten, but that seems to have vanished because of lack of success.
Zwarte Pieten are black, clown-like helpers, and children do not connect them with the real 'black' people that live around them (like people from Suriname).
The 'controversy' is mainly within expat circles.
Hi Hannes,
How do you know what effect this has on children? See Expatica's Annual Zwarte Piet debate:
http://community.expatica.com/forums/topic/46488/-/view/post_id/285065
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