‘Black Pete’ Tradition in Netherlands Expected to Disappear, Dutch Prime Minister Says
Black Pete pre-Christmas tradition in Netherlands. Photo: Michell Zappa. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced a change in his attitude towards a certain pre-Christmas celebration tradition which has been criticised as racist caricature.
The tradition in question centers around the so called “Black Pete” (Zwarte Piet), folklore character and companion of Saint Nicholas, who is often portrayed by people wearing black face, curly wigs and red lipstick.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate regarding the anti-racism protests in the Netherlands which are held in solidarity with the protests in the United States sparked by the death of George Floyd, Rutte, who said “Black Pete is just black and I can’t do much about that” back in 2013, declared that his view on the tradition has changed since then.
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