Posted on 12/08/2014 11:52:29 AM PST by 11th_VA
Edited on 12/08/2014 12:04:33 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Two years ago, I was a freelance reporter on the island of Curacao, a former Dutch colony and a territory once key to the European slave trade in the New World. Within a few months, I began making friends, picking up some Dutch and Papiamento (the local, Creolized language) and absorbing a bit of the culture. Before arriving there, I had been aware of the Dutch holiday tradition of Sinterklaas (something like Santa Claus) and his mischievous helper-slave Zwarte Piet (or Black Pete). I knew that many white Dutch loved to dress up as Zwarte Piet by painting their faces black and their lips bright red and donning curly wigs. I thought I was ready to face this character, who is bumbling, mischievous and dimwitted, but nevertheless kind to children.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Cuban Pete was Ricky Ricardo.
Hey, lets not confuse the issue here! LMAO
Do you have any idea how politically incorrect you are?
Why that is probably a no-knock offense these days...
Jim Carrey did the song in “The Mask.”
Zwarte Piet is all in good fun. People want to play him!
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Absolutely! On the neighboring island of Bonaire, most of the people are mixed race and colors in one family can range from pink-cheeked platinum blonde to dark brown, with every shade of caramel and cafe-au-lait in between. Zwarte Piet is a Moorish chimney sweep helper to St Nicholas. He carries a bag of cookies and candy and gets to throw these to the kids, who adore him. Some celebrations have multiple Zwarte Piets in order to accommodate all those who want to play him. Many locals participate in costume. They also have a monster costumed event for Carnival. It is just fun!
One year, the UN and the PC Dutch government tried TeleTubby Zwarte Piets. It was a dud. Those costumes are handed down from generations.
In heavily mixed race communities, you just don’t see this sort of self-righteousness. Everyone is part everything, so it isn’t a defining element. The locals think liberal Americans of all races are uptight PITAs.
We need to bring the Krampus back....
Too many spoiled kids...
Zwarte Piet is the one who carries the candies and cookies. He was a chimney sweep and the origin is Moorish Spain. He wears a puffy satin hat with plumes and a fancy cape and knickers. Kids want to play Zwarte Piet. This includes black/brown/Caribbean kids. Think of him as a Medieval superhero, because the children think of him that way. Sinterclaus carries coal and bunches of sticks for the bad kids.
"Lighten up, Karen."
“I thought I was ready to face this character, who is bumbling, mischievous and dimwitted, but nevertheless kind to children.”
yeah, same here, but after five minutes of the David Letterman show, I had to change the channel.
The Netherlands never had a legacy of black chattel slavery unlike the British and Americans. To them, the Moorish people of Africa are simply exotic. Ain’t it funny how a different history bestows a different perspective?
No it is liberal bull s__t that has no place in the 21st century.
Dumb Grinch.
The only thing more difficult to find on Planet Earth than a Leftist’s sense of humor is a Leftist’s comprehension of constitutional limits on government power.
Right.
The liberal idea is to nag and nag and nag until they sap the life out of everything.
Its a dull and depressing POV.
I guess she's no fan of Al Jolson either.
I'm so old that one, I don't speak politically correctly and two, I don't know what the latest incantation of a description is to call someone. I'm retired, living in the country, and somewhat isolated from the modern world, especially urban ways of the world. Hard to keep up with what the "latest" cool or correct thing is.
Heck, when I was a kid, we had a midget in our school we called "Shorty". Was he offended? I don't think so because he was a friend of many and claimed he liked the nickname. But who knows. Nowadays the liberals on the left make everybody a victim and teach them to be offended by almost everything in life.
The tip off that the story is a lie: “I began making friends”.
In what part of Holland is the Washington Post published?
Not everything is a slave related racial incident.
And for god’s, stop being so damned sensitive.
I wonder how she handled the tetes noires (chocolate cake cup-cake sized decorated balls) in Paris I faced in the late 70s, or England's ever popular Golliwogs (come in all sizes, even keychains, see google), around 1993...
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