Dutch abandon "black pete" tradition

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2795267/dutch-abandon-black-pete-christmas-tradition-racism-row-replace-santa-s-sidekick-cheese-pete.html

abandon 'black Pete' Christmas tradition over racism row - and replace him as santa's sidekick with 'cheese Pete' 
Black Pete is a jolly, but controversial, sidekick of the Dutch Saint Nicholas 
A racism row erupted with critics claiming Pete is a negative stereotype
An Amsterdam court agreed, bringing about a facelift for the character
Black Pete hands out gifts in Holland on December 5 with Saint Nicholas 


By TED THORNHILL FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 04:25 EST, 16 October 2014 | UPDATED: 05:41 EST, 16 October 2014


Black Pete, the jolly sidekick of the Dutch Saint Nicholas, is finally getting a facelift after years of bitter debate including death threats against those calling for change.

An Amsterdam court's ruling in July that Pete - traditionally dressed in a gaudy medieval costume with a blackened face, red lips and an afro wig - is a 'negative stereotype' encouraged many to try to change the deeply rooted custom.

'It's the beginning of change, it will continue for years to come because more and more people agree it should change but it's going to take a long time,' said historian Gabor Kozijn, author of a study on Black Pete for the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage.

[immoderate]

1. Which one has the "gaudy costume?"

--imm

[msanthrope]

2. David Sedaris has an hysterical story about this tradition

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[adirondacker]

5. Thanks for posting. That was hilarious!

[Warpy]

3. That's really kind of a shame, children adore him there

All blackface traditions are not negative stereotypes of people of African origin.

If he had remained true to the Mediaeval portraits of St. Nick, it would have been a real problem, as he was always depicted in chains as a demon tamed by Nick. Both black and white demons were painted.

Swarte Piet is in Mediaeval clothing, but his emergence was in 1850. While he was presented as a servant of St. Nick in 1850, that has softened considerably over the years and now he's a sidekick and entertainer.

It could be a lot worse, consider Krampus in the Austrian Xmas tradition.

[OnyxCollie]

4. But Krampus inspired a good beer.

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[MattBaggins]

6. In my wife's tradition Peter was a type of krampus

My father in law tells how the Peter character was responsible for chasing beating the bad kids with switches while Nicolaus gave out candy to the good ones. If you were really bad he would threaten to put you in his bag and kidnap you.

I mean this literally. On St Nicolaus day people would dress up as the two characters and go through villages.