Sinterklaas cancelled in New Westminster after concerns about blackface characters

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      A Dutch holiday celebration in New Westminster has been cancelled in the wake of a complaint about how it portrays people of African descent.

      Sinterklaas was to take place at Holland Shopping Centre on Saturday (December 3).

      The New Westminster News Leader reported that a man named Roger Jones objected to including a character known as Black Peter, who marches with Sinterklaas in the festival.

      People who play this role cover their faces in black makeup, which is reminiscent of how racist American shows portrayed people of African descent in a bygone era.

      The Sinterklaas website carries the following message:

      Dear fellow members of the Dutch community,

      We regret to inform you that the Sinterklaas celebrations for 2011, at the New Westminster Quay as well as at the Holland Shopping Centre have been CANCELLED.

      We thank you all for your input in the Zwarte Piet discussion, and we encourage the community to keep up their Sinterklaas tradition.

      For those of you who feel this is a great loss, we agree. We too are greatly saddened by the events of the past few weeks.

      Sincerely,

      The Sinterklaas Event Organizers

      The holiday celebrates the birthday of Sint Nicolaas (also known as Sinterklaas), a kind Spanish bishop. It has been traditionally commemorated in the Netherlands on the evening of December 5. Sinterklaas arrives on a steamship accompanied by a valet, Zwarte Piet (Black Peter), and other helpers.

      According to the Amsterdam Tourism website, the names of naughty children are written in a large book, which Black Peter keeps for Sint Nicolaas. The kids "also know quite well that Black Peter carries a rod with him as well as a huge burlap sack, large enough for naughty children to be taken along to Spain".

      Legend has it that Peter is black because he enters homes through chimneys to hand out candy and other treats.

      According to the 2006 census, there were 2,335 people of African descent living in the federal riding of Burnaby–New Westminster. There were another 1,390 people of African descent living in the next-door riding of New Westminster–Coquitlam.

      Comments

      56 Comments

      sleepswithangels

      Nov 30, 2011 at 8:44am

      This is outrageous. The next thing you know they'll be telling us we can't own slaves. The gall of those bureaucratic bastards. If I was 60 years younger I'd be safe and sound in the womb without a care in the world and political correctness would only be a distant hallucination/nightmare.
      Now...where's the serving wench with my leg of Tofurky?
      SMBs

      Bwaaa

      Nov 30, 2011 at 9:04am

      You know...I'm offended by how kids are brought up thinking Santa Claus in the Western sense is traditional - despite its heavy brand association with Coca Cola. Despite that, nobody will pull Coca-Cola ads featuring Santa Claus upon my request. But one person complains about a traditional representation that doesn't sound racist to me - if it is rooted in the fact that chimney soot blackens his face.

      How sad it is these days that our ideas of tradition that our kids will continue to learn upon are driven by a sugar water company.

      That guy who complained and had these celebrations shut down should be ashamed that he is keeping young parade watchers from viewing a glimpse of an expanded view of the world. Go give them a coke while you're at it, buddy.

      15 7Rating: +8

      Daniel

      Nov 30, 2011 at 9:04am

      Sinterklaas is celebrated each year in the Netherlands with its full complement of Black Peters. The celebration dates from the 1600s and the exact origin of Black Peter is not clear. However, in its current format, there are no racial themes in the role part that Black Peter plays in the Sinterklaas event. To portray a link between the Black Peter character and with the American minstrels is false and demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the Sinterklaas tradition.

      The modern Black Peter has a valuable role in the Sinterklaas event. Each Black Peter typically has a unique contribution (for example: rooftop logistics expert, I am not joking). They are part of a team, and while Sinterklaas is the boss, there is no master-slave relationship or anything similar.

      Goldorak

      Nov 30, 2011 at 9:54am

      Triumph of political correctness... pouah!

      R2

      Nov 30, 2011 at 10:21am

      Boooo New Westminster you PUSSIES.

      Martyn Hilbers

      Nov 30, 2011 at 12:02pm

      Black Pete my friend.

      Black Pete handing out sweets and the right hand man of Saint Nicolas the bishop of Myara (in what is now Turkey).Patron saint of the children and celebrated as such by children for the last millenium at least in one form or another throughout the world.

      As child I remember always being in awe by the appearance of these two with their beautiful gold embroidered clothes etc. (and never noticed either two in slave chains). I never made the association between Black Pete, with his thin lips and blue eyes in a pitch black face, and my African decent friends that I used to play and go to school with. In fact, as a childs logic is very simple, I always thought he was black because he went down the chimney to bring me my presents, he was my childhood champion !

      Now looking at the discussion isn't it great that two figures the ultimate role models for children with such extreme complexions, are the best of friends relying on each other, working with onanother in harmony to bring us our presents? Isn't this the world's utopia that we are striving for and are trying to teach our children?

      The two started out differently and are actually the Christanification of the Germatic god Wodan (Wednessday) who rides through the sky on his six legged white horse with on his shoulders two black ravens/crows. The crows fly to the people below and report to Wodan who is naughty or nice and Wodan punishes the naughty be throwing thunder bolds. This nature believe of old had no racial association nor has its' present form.

      Ying and Yang, Saint Nicolas and Black Pete, the world without racism.... too bad that the black part has now been removed from worlds biggest childrens celebration and has become a (l)on(e)ly WHITE Saint Nicolas celebration without BLACK Pete.

      Martyn

      Birdy

      Nov 30, 2011 at 1:12pm

      Can we apply this "one offended person rule" to geopolitical theatre in addition to parades?

      I find our government's theatrical parade of violence in the Middle East offensive. Can we cancel that shit too? What's more offensive, institutionalized mass slaughter or a dutch guy in make-up?

      RChristina

      Nov 30, 2011 at 1:30pm

      Can't believe a stubborn Dutchman gave in to a more then likely an ignorant Caucasian who is paranoid they might offend their neighbors. More then likely this same person is saying happy holiday and not Merry Christmas.

      16 7Rating: +9

      Foxxe Wilder

      Nov 30, 2011 at 1:49pm

      Amazing is it not? I am sure that there was not a SINGLE actual person of African descent that even considered this as an affront to them. (and personally I don't believe those numbers either, I've never seen more than 4 or 5 blacks in the GVRD in my LIFE!)

      The biggest problem here is, the onus of the prejudism is STILL being displayed and THIS time on a purely traditional and honourable custom LONG KNOWN in Nederlands.

      It is time you extremist activists grew the hell up and stopped firing your guns at shadow every time you hear a backfire from a car.
      Being liberal means allowing ALL others to be themselves freely, NOT being so restrictive and conservative.