Sinterklaas

To the outsider, the annual arrival of the wise old (white) man and his black 'helpers' stinks of racism. But the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas has been celebrated by young and old since the the 15th Century.

Legend has it the old wise white man St Nicolas of Myra travels to northern parts of Europe every year around December bearing gifts for the good children. He is accompanied by black helpers called "Zwarte Pieten" (Black Petes), who help Sinterklaas on his journey and helps throw candy and gifts at children.

The tradition is to put your shoe under the fireplace on the 5th of December, and surprise, surprise, the next day it will be filled with goodies and candies for those who have been behaving. Sort of like the tradition of Santa Claus, but Sinterklaas comes earlier, and first. Those kids who have been naughty will get coal in their shoes, and those really awful children will be put in a sack by Zwarte Piet and taken to Spain. I remember as a kid thinking that it actually would not be too bad, given the warmer climate and better cuisine there.


Actually, it is all a fable told to children so they would behave themselves. The tradition of giving gifts in fact was started by churches which collected money and goods for the poor to commemorate the death of St Nicolas, but evolved into a cause of celebration and cheerfulness every year. As for the Zwarte Pieten... well, the religious intepretation is that they are supposed to represent the devil incarnate, who Sinterklaas has managed to tame to help him on his long journey of spreading good and kindness. The more 'politically correct' intepretation of their servant-role is that they became black because they have to climb up and down the chimneys, and their faces happened to be covered with soot.

Today was the official arrival of Sinterklaas, and the most famous one is at Scheveningen, not too far from where I live. So with a friend, I went to welcome him as he cruised slowly into harbour on the SS Madrid flying the Spanish colours. Most likely he boarded somewhere down the coast and happened to have a Spanish flag with him. But since the Ambassador of Spain himself was there to welcome this old wise white man from Spain, the flag was a courteous gesture.


On board the steam boat where dozens of Zwarte Pieten, all jumping up and down, waving and singing at the cheering crowd of children on the dock. There were so many other boats all cruising around Sinterklaas' steam boat. Even lifeguards and police blackened their faces with face paint, and stereotypically painted their lips red, reminiscent of those early cartoons portraying those 'savages' in Africa. How exciting, especially to be in the middle of it all and have candies and 'pepernoten' thrown in your face. A mother and son frantically scrambled to the ground to pick up the sweets, even though the ground was wet and dirty from the rain.
Children put on the brightly coloured suits of Zwarte Piet, a custome originating from Middle Ages Spain, while others put on the red robe and mitre of Sinterklaas and paraded the dock happily, most probably unaware of the under-tones (no pun intended).

The air echoed with the sound of fog horns and sweet children's songs.



Welcome, Sinterklaas.