In many cultures, including our own, we have traditions that have been passed down to us from our family members that we tend to pass down to those that come after us. Most of these traditions help us identify with who we are, giving us a link to our past. These traditions usually are somewhat sacred and have significant importance.
Sometimes, though, traditions can be steeped in something deemed unacceptable by many, depending on what they represent or how they originated. These traditions may have a global similarity, changing slightly or greatly depending on what part of the world one may be referring to. What may seem harmless in one region may be utterly offensive in another. But sometimes, it doesn't matter the region, the tradition is starkly offensive.
Amongst Black people, especially in the US, to see someone in blackface only conjures up one sentiment, anger. The minstrel shows that featured white actorsin blackface, depicted black people as happy go lucky, dancing fools. This was what individuals of that time who frequented these shows deemed as entertainment. Eventually, the minstrel shows lost their popularity after about 130+ years (originating in the early 1830's and eventually dying out as professional entertainment around 1910 and later on as amateur performances in high school theater in 1960). In Europe, though, blackface became part of the culture there during the 1950's and 60's in some artistic circles as sort of a way to push the envelope to get a certain point across. In the Netherlands, the Dutch continue to celebrate St. Nicolas Eve with "Sinterklaas" accompanied by "Zwarte Piet" or Black Pete. This character was first introduced as a African servant to Sinterklaas in a 19th century children's book and was later depicted as a Moor, wearing colorful clothing and a feathered cap to resemble a European page. The Dutch dress up as Zwarte Piet during this celebration in blackface; the men who do so dress to resemble the moorish page, them women often look like the mammies of the American minstrel era.
This celebration has come under fire with many Dutch protesting the offensive use of blackface. A broadcaster once tried to change the culture of the character though a childrens program by having a group of Zwarte Piet's pass through a rainbow and take on each color represented by it. That move was met with stiff opposition by individuals claiming that the broadcaster was trying to change the culture of the character to meet the Netherlands new tolerance policies towards immigrants. Brenda Stoter Boscolo, a journalist who posts on the Dutch site Joop.nl had this to say about other attempts to make Black Pete less offensive: "Attempts through the years to give Piet another color never took hold, but through the years the custome to wear large golden earrings did disappear". In defense of the blackface after the 70's the skin color of Zwarte Piet was said to have come from the soot inside the chimney's he would climb up and down as he delivered gifts to children. No explanation, however, was given for his big red lips and kinky hair. In recent years, two of the nation’s biggest retailers, V&D and Blokker used pictures of children with ash-smudged cheeks instead of the typical full blackface, also opting to forego the afro wigs and red lips in their catalogs.
Some traditions are timeless. Others end up being outdated due to changes in society. Others still hark back to a time in human history when indifference was traditionally acceptable. The Confederate flag, to many Black Americans, symbolize a time when it was acceptable to lynch and hang Black people. It became the symbol of the southern states who seceded from the Union over, just to name one reason, the "right" to own slaves. The minstrel show era characterized black people in a demeaning fashion. It is no coincidence that Zwerte Piet, characterized as an African servant to a white Sinterklaas, was given jester-like characteristics. Add to that his storied attributes as a devious, childish character with exceptional athletic, music and entertaining abilities and he becomes minstrel. Add to that the blackface that those who imitate him wear and it is no longer a harmless tradition, but one steeped in hatred that any person of color would not have positive feelings toward. A columnist for the NRC Handelsbad newspaper, Bas Heijne, questioned whether the Netherlands is as tolerant is it said to be. He noted not a single person in the Netherlands' new cabinet is of non-Dutch ancestry, even as the world has watched the U.S. elect and re-elect a Black president. He stated, ironically, that it's probably "because we", refering to the Netherlands, "unlike other countries, have become completely colorblind. We don't need a black minister, let alone a black prime minister: We have Zwarte Piet."
The world is changing, though in some cases and places people are holding on to silly traditions in the name of their culture. It's time to let these traditions, based on old world viewpoints, go. Unless this happens, the ignorance of these traditions will ultimately be our undoing.
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