Holy Cross Professor on Zwarte Piet, Controversial Netherlands Holiday Tradition

In the Netherlands, "Zwarte Piet," or "Black Pete," has become a point of heated debate as holiday traditions are reexamined for racist undertones. Presented in tandem with "Sinterklaas," the Dutch Santa Claus, Zwarte Piet is a common figure for Dutch citizens to dress up as, often in blackface.

In an article for World Politics Review, Melissa Weiner, associate professor of sociology, reaffirmed black culture's place in Dutch history and its implications for the Zwarte Piet debate. "Denying this not only denies their existence and humanity, which is an element of Dutch racism, but also the ways in which they were contributing to the nation for hundreds of years," said Weiner.

Weiner calls on Dutch society to critically analyze the place of such figures, and the consequences of not addressing Zwarte Piet's controversial portrayal, saying "think about how the Netherlands is caught up in this racist system the way that all these other nations are, and now that people are pointing it out, figure out what to do about it."

To read the full article go to World Politics Review.