Zwarte Pieten Stijl
I’m not sure if this is funny if you don’t know what Sinterklaas is or if you don’t understand the lyrics but I couldn’t stop laughing while watching this so I just had to share. It’s a paradoy on Psy’s popular Gangnam style. Hophophop Zwarte Pieten Stijl!
In the Netherlands we celebrate the birthday of Sinterklaas every year in the beginning of December (at the 5th we have Pakjesavond which means something like presentsnight). The helps of Sinterklaas are called Zwarte Pieten. The story is that Sinterklaas likes to give present to kids when it’s his birthday. He arrived in the Netherlands last weekend, with his Zwarte Pieten on the boat from Spain and until his birthday children can set their shoes at night. When they sing a song they will find a little present or candy in it the next morning.
Ik vind het stiekem wel grappig, ookal klinkt het ergens nergens naar haha.
Hi Shanti,
I know what you mean, In my country, there is besides the holiday Christmas with Santa Claus also the well known Saint Sinterklaas. The holiday Sinterklaas is on 6 december. He has a white horse that gallops across the rooftops and during the night he brings presents to children (basically the same as Santa Claus on december 25th). He arrives always by boat. Nothing wrong here.
But the saint has servants called Black Petes (zwarte pieten): they carry a big sack with candy, but kids that are naughty will be taken away in those sacks (that’s the story). The black petes are told to be black because of the fact they have to crawl down the chimney to leave presents for the children (at least that’s the explanation). They are always played by white people who colour their faces.
Is this offensive to black people? And can this tradition be considered racist? (because of the stereotypes: black servants, boogey men, the white Sinterklaas as the boss etc…)
Catch you again soon!