Idag är det julafton i Nederländerna, Sinterklaas och hans Svarte pettrar, jultomtens slavar med svart skokräm i ansiktet, stoltserar gata upp och gata ner och ger rara barn en massa godis och smiskar onda på rumpan med kvistar. Har de riktigt otur blir de stoppade i julesäcken och tagna med tillbaka till Spanien där Sinterklaas egentligen kommer ifrån. En konstig, lätt rasistisk och ganska rolig upplevelse. Vi bad Amsterdams mest eftertraktade entrepenör och bloggare Nalden att lista helgens höjdpunkter.
– I’m not a big fan of it. Sure as a kid it’s great to get free gifts and all that but in the end it’s a bit of a weird tradition. I mean, an old white dude comes from Spain in a red dress with all kinds of ‘helpers aka slaves’ to carry the gifts. The slaves are still a hot issue here ’cause it’s all kind of confronting for the Surinamese people who’re living in the Netherlands. Especially with our slave history. Not a bright idea to cover your face with black paint like bamboozled in my opinion. But heres my top 3 for the weekend:
1. Old White Dude in Red Dress
The traditional event begins when ‘Sinterklaas’ arrives in the Netherlands on his boat. A big big big deal when you’re like 4 years old.
2. Saying hi everywhere at the same time
So, after he arrived in the Netherlands, which is broadcasted on tv, all schools, cities and villages have ‘Sinterklaas’ and his ‘Zwarte Pieten’
(people covered up in black paint like it’s bamboozled!) coming over to say hi to all the children and their parents. Lot’s of candy involved.
3. Pakjes avond
On December 5th is ‘Pakjesavond’ which is basically the big party night. Families are spending time together with a big pile of gifts
for their children and each other courtesy of ‘Sinterklaas’ haha.
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