What does Zwarte Piet mean in English?
Black Pete
Zwarte Piet (Dutch: [ˈzʋɑrtə ˈpit]; Luxembourgish: Schwaarze Péiter, Indonesian: Pit Hitam, West Frisian: Swarte Pyt), also known in English by the translated name Black Pete, is the companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch: Sinterklaas, West Frisian: Sinteklaas, Luxembourgish: Kleeschen, Indonesian: Sinterklas) in the …
What is the story behind Zwarte Piet?
Zwarte Piet was a Moorish orphan boy Sinterklaas adopted and trained as his assistant. This fusing in the folklore of the historical meeting of “East and West” would come to fuel the current cultural clash within the Netherlands, once its colonial past led to today’s increasingly multicultural society.
Who invented Zwarte Piet?
Jerry Afriyie, along with Quinsy Gario, was one of the two founders of the Zwarte Piet is Racisme campaign in 2011.
How old is the Zwarte Piet tradition?
Black Pete, or Zwarte Piet as he is known in the Netherlands, is a holiday tradition dating back to the 19th century that depicts a helper of Saint Nicholas dressed in blackface with an Afro wig, large red lips and golden hoop earrings.
What is Sinterklaas Holland?
Sinterklaas (Dutch: [ˌsɪntərˈklaːs]) or Sint-Nicolaas (Dutch: [sɪnt ˈnikoːlaːs] ( listen)) is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Other Dutch names for the figure include De Sint (“The Saint”), De Goede Sint (“The Good Saint”) and De Goedheiligman (“The Good Holy Man”).
Do you say happy Sinterklaas?
Because you don’t wish someone ‘Happy Sinterklaas’, like you do with Christmas. It’d be like sending someone a ‘Pancake Day Card’ or wishing someone a ‘Royal Christmas’.
What St Nicholas really looked like?
The real Saint Nicholas is likely to have had olive skin, dark brown eyes and a wide chin and brow. He stood at 1.68 metres (5ft 6in) and had a broken nose. However, according to the researchers, he did sport white hair and a beard – as was the fashion for 4th century religious leaders.