Zwarte Piet (aka "Black Pete") sighted in Nova Scotia

As Walt told you almost a month ago, when Sinterklaas (aka "Santa Claus") comes to the Netherlands, he comes with an assistant, a comical fellow known as Zwarte Piet (= "Black Pete"). Piet is not really black of course, people of that hue being infrequently seen in Holland... until recently.

Zwarte Piet has been a part of the Dutch Christmas tradition since time immemorial. But in the politically correct 21st century, he has come under attack as being... wait for it... a racist stereotype. People in public life should keep that in mind before being seen, let alone photographed, with poor Piet.

Unfortunately for his political career, a newly-elected member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly, forgot this lesson in political correctness. Halifax MLA Joachim Stroink has been forced by the PC police to delete a photo he tweeted of himself posing with the controversial character at a Christmas event hosted by his Dutch-Canadian constituents last night.

Mr. Stroink, who is evidently of Dutch descent, said he never meant for the photo to offend. "As a child growing up and celebrating the Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet tradition, the blackface did not lead me to think less of my African Nova Scotian neighbours and friends, and as such I was not sensitive to the potential to offend," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Still, Stroink stressed that Dutch culture has long emphasized a black elf-like character as part of its Christmas tradition. "While the history of Zwarte Piet and the blackface have contributed to perpetuating negative stereotypes," he added, "to ignore or to disavow Zwarte Piet would be to ignore that history within the Dutch community."

And that's how things are in Canada these days. And in the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand too. Cultural and religious traditions are wonderful... as long as they're not Western Christian traditions. To the PC Grinches who want us to turn our backs on our religion and culture, Walt says "MERRY CHRISTMAS"!!!

Footnote: Hope you noticed that Sinterklaas is wearing the mitre of a Christian bishop... because that's what he was!

UN PC police out to get Zwarte Piet

Today Walt was saddened (but not surprised) to learn of the latest attack of the PC police on European Christian tradition. The target this month is a character from Dutch-Flemish folklore, an important part of the Santa Claus and Christmas tradition of the Netherlands and the northern part of Belgium.

The big day for good little Dutch boys and girls is December 6th. That's when Sinterklaas [= "Santa Claus"! Ed.] comes to town. Families gather together to read poems ["The Night Before Christmas" maybe? Ed.] and exchange gifts.

Jolly old Saint Nick doesn't come by reindeer-powered sleigh. No sir! He comes by boat, not from the North Pole but from Spain. And he has company, too -- a comical helper known as "Zwarte Piet". As you can see in the picture, "Black Pete" (as he would be called in English) has a black face, red lips and curly hair. So, as was bound to happen eventually, the chairthingy of a UN Human Rights Commission yesterday condemned Piet as "an offensive caricature of black people".

"The working group does not understand why it is that people in the Netherlands cannot see that this is a throwback to slavery, and that in the 21st century this practice should stop," Verene Shepherd told the Dutch television programme EenVandaag.

Many of the horrible racist Dutch -- including many dark-complected folks from the Dutch bits of the Caribbean -- disagree. Piet's supporters say he's a positive figure whose appearance is harmless. At one time, Piet was referred to as a "servant" of the elderly saint, but in recent years those references have been replaced with the idea that he gets black from soot as he climbs down chimneys to deliver toys and candy for children who leave their shoes -- wooden, of course -- out overnight.

Those opposed to tinkering with tradition have set up a Facebook page, with a "Pete-ition" [geddit? Ed.] to preserve the traditional appearance of Zwarte Piete. According to the Economist the page has already had over 2 million "likes", showing the strong emotional attachment that most Dutch have to the character. Being the last person on earth who refuses to join Facebook, I can't give you the link, but if you're on FB it shouldn't be hard to find it. Please do!

Further reading: "Christmas in Holland / the Netherlands".