It’s that time of year again. Even though we knew what to expect it still didn’t make the spectacle of Sinterklaas’s arrival in Haarlem any less bizarre.
In the UK Santa arrives in a sleigh. In the Netherlands he arrives by boat from Spain, and with him comes his helper, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete). When they disembark Sinter rides through town on a white horse, while Zwarte Piet dishes out sweets to the waiting children.
Over 100 people were arrested in riots protesting against Zwarte Piet throughout the Netherlands in 2014. I thought Black Pete had had his day.
Retailers appeared to have got the message that Black Pete dolls and memorabilia doesn’t actually make attractive, appealing window displays. I've seen Christmas wrapping paper in the shops with images of pale-faced Zwarte Piets. This year, I had heard, Sinterklaas' helper would have soot on his face, not black-paint. He would be a chimney sweep.
There were definitely less blackened-up faces amongst the eager young audience as Sinter’s ship sailed up the Sparne, but unfortunately the organisers of Sinter's arrival in Haarlem didn't appear to have got the message at all. The merry musicians and all the other grown-up hanger-ons masquerading as Zwarte Piet were out in force in their curly wigs and blackened faces.
Sinterklaas' arrival is a huge event, but it is wrong on so many counts. Strangers in fancy costumes handing out sweets – don’t you warn your kids about that one?
Even more wrong – who told the kids at the swimming party to stand in the window, in their swimmers, to watch the procession go by, waving at all the happy snappers outside. The elderly gent dressed up as Zwarte Piet in front of us loved that one.
Maybe my own 1970’s childhood memories have become so tarnished that I see bad in something that is just an innocence piece of traditional fun. But grown ups, dressing up, knowing they will cause offence? That's really not a good lesson to be passing down to the next generation.
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