Henry Hudson may have been English, but his boat the Half Moon was Dutch. He landed in what is now New York harbor on September 11, 1609. Then he sailed up the river that one day would bear his name. It was known for centuries as the North River. The Delaware was known as the Zuidrivier or “South River.” Both names reflect the predominantly Dutch aborigine inhabitants of the Catskills and North River valley. The river wasn’t universally referred to as the Hudson River until the mid-19th century.
I note this historical fact because about the same time that the North became the Hudson a Dutch school teacher Jan Schenkman published a book depicting Saint Nicolas’ helper or “servant” as a black man. A tradition was born. This image was actually seen as a progressive, less “racist” depiction of Santa’s helper, who in former (less enlightened) times was depicted as a “chained and fire-scorched demon.” —an evil black man who punished children who weren’t “good.” As the American slave trade was winding down the less scary Zwarte Piet or “Black Pete” archetype was embraced joyously in Amsterdam. Just like in America, black face buffoonery in minstrel shows was all the rage for years to come. The evolutionary move from demon to fool was seen as racial progress.
Every year around this time, as the Dutch Sinterklaas festivities kick into gear in Amsterdam, the conversation again erupts over the racist depiction of Black Pete—yay or nay? My ancestors were early immigrants to New York, Dutch aborigines, arriving in Kingston (Wildwyck) in 1653. They were also slave owners, until the practice was legislated out of existence in New York State in 1827. Osterhouts in Texas kept the “tradition” alive until 1865. The Civil War finally ended the “traditional” conversation as to slavery.
The history of the Dutch slave trade is no secret. But most of their slaves went to the Dutch West Indies and North America. The black population of Holland today are also immigrants, like my kin, not like in North America, predominantly descendants of Dutch and English slaves. They have no political currency. Their numbers are small and they remain marginalized. The racist depictions of Black Pete around the holidays are seen by many more affluent and politically powerful whites in Holland as benign, again explained away as “traditional.” And if you don’t like it, as Trump would say, “Go back to your shit-hole country.” They point to the “burned” demons of the Middle Ages or Santa Claus sliding down the chimney with ease-dropping chimney sweep assistants brushing the way—as to why Pete’s face is black. It’s not racist; it’s an occupational hazard. The “servant” isn’t a slave he’s a “helper,” cleaning out the chimney for Santa Claus. Have a candy cane. Ho-ho-ho.
It’s not coincidental that the political cartoonist Thomas Nast also masticated old Saint Nic, Krampus and Sinterklaas, spitting him out as the non-threatening jolly, old, white “pedophile” we know as Santa around the same time. All these so-called traditions begin during the ultra-racist 19th century. Thankfully Black Pete never gained traction in the U.S. The Dutch have long since become the minority—even in the Catskills. Although the old Beekman patent of Rhinebeck, NY still holds a Sinterklaas festival, sans Black Pete, in Holland they hold onto Pete for dear life. Re-branding Black Pete as the more acceptable “Chimney Pete,” doesn’t quite fly either. What’s with the curly haired wigs and bright red lips? The make up and costume hasn’t changed. The name means nothing. Nobody’s coming to clean out your flue pipe who looks like that.
“Traditional” is another one of those excuses like “rule of law,” that rings hollow. Confederate flag flying rednecks always use that weak refuge. Dixie will rise again—if we just “remember” hard enough with stars and bars decals and Confederate statues. The fact that so many photographs of politicians wearing black face have recently surfaced makes you wonder what the hell their tradition was when the cameras weren’t clicking. The most surprising thing is that we are actually still having this “discussion.” Another lame tradition. Black face at any time of the year is inappropriate and YES racist. Duh. If the boneheaded Dutch can’t accept that they should be shamed globally. They may be inclusive and progressive on the surface, but Black Pete reveals a very deep, disturbing, racist core. As our arbiter of racial correctness white Kim Kardashian recently tweeted, “The Dutch tradition called: “black pete” is disturbing!” #kimdisapproves You give it to ‘em Kim! Wake up you fucking Dutch idiots! As a direct descendant of Dutch immigrants I have (white) skin in this game. Zwarte Piet (and the Socratic tradition surrounding him) must go. End of discussion.
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