Fighting the wrong battles
Today it is our yearly D-Day, and I think the association is definitely appropriate because as for the D-Day I am referring to a very important landing. Sinterklaas and his army of Zwarte Pieten have landed in the Netherlands (as they do every year). Very exciting moment, for young and old, with the appropriate and more than deserved media coverage, the Sinterklaas Journal.
As this happens every year what is there to write about, as usual I am trying to find my own angle to the story.
Sinterklaas and the Pieten are a very important piece of Dutch culture, one of the few old traditions remaining in a country which is all too keen to go out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately a few years ago the United Nations decided to go after this piece of Dutch heritage (apparently they did not seem to have anything better to do to improve this idyllic world of us).
The Zwarte Pieten are dark curly haired pages helping out Sinterklaas in his task to bring gifts to the kids. A folkloristic representation of golden age slaves, apparently reminding us all of the flourishing slave trade that made that Dutch age a golden age.
Unacceptable call out the UN, in the 21st century when we know better! This display of slavery glorification is not acceptable, the world has to put an end to it!
The Netherlands are very proud to be always the first of the class country as civilization goes therefore they could hardly sleep with this accusation pending on their head. Something had to be done! Let's forget about hundred of thousands migrants knocking at our doors hoping to be helped, a whole generation of Muslims willing to blow themselves up in the name of a religion war coming nobody knows from where, populist and fascist movements raising almost everywhere. No Zwarte Piet is not tolerable a solution has to be found fast.
As it usually happens if you put your head and heart to it you will find a solution, the Rainbow Piet! Out with the old in with the new, the main problem in the world is solved.
For the ones of you expecting me to blog about the American election you will be disappointed because I only write about British politics (strangely enough).
As this happens every year what is there to write about, as usual I am trying to find my own angle to the story.
Sinterklaas and the Pieten are a very important piece of Dutch culture, one of the few old traditions remaining in a country which is all too keen to go out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately a few years ago the United Nations decided to go after this piece of Dutch heritage (apparently they did not seem to have anything better to do to improve this idyllic world of us).
The Zwarte Pieten are dark curly haired pages helping out Sinterklaas in his task to bring gifts to the kids. A folkloristic representation of golden age slaves, apparently reminding us all of the flourishing slave trade that made that Dutch age a golden age.
Unacceptable call out the UN, in the 21st century when we know better! This display of slavery glorification is not acceptable, the world has to put an end to it!
The Netherlands are very proud to be always the first of the class country as civilization goes therefore they could hardly sleep with this accusation pending on their head. Something had to be done! Let's forget about hundred of thousands migrants knocking at our doors hoping to be helped, a whole generation of Muslims willing to blow themselves up in the name of a religion war coming nobody knows from where, populist and fascist movements raising almost everywhere. No Zwarte Piet is not tolerable a solution has to be found fast.
As it usually happens if you put your head and heart to it you will find a solution, the Rainbow Piet! Out with the old in with the new, the main problem in the world is solved.
For the ones of you expecting me to blog about the American election you will be disappointed because I only write about British politics (strangely enough).
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