donderdag 3 december 2015

Climbing Petes

Each year the department store "the Bijenkorf" has climbing Black Petes going up and down in the atrium as decoration for the Sinterklaas feast of December 5th. Black Pete is the companion of Saint Nicolas who brings presents to the children every year.

This year I noticed a subtile difference, they had no face but a golden mask.

This is a picture of last year.

Traditonally Black Pete is said to be black because he is a Moor from Spain and accompanied the Bishop Saint Nicolas on his travel from Spain to the Netherlands dressed in colourful Renaissance clothes with black make-up and a curly wig. In recent years the character has become the subject of controversy here with heated discussions that Pete can not be black anymore in these modern times.

15 opmerkingen:

  1. Lindo gostei destas decorações.
    Um abraço e continuação de uma boa semana.

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  2. Maybe even Pete will have to catch up with the times.

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  3. I love Christmas rituals! St. Nick ALWAYS came to my house on Dec 4 eve, and what a joy to find my shoe filled with candy, a small gift, and a tangerine. There always was a small lump of coal tucked into the toe, just as a reminder!!

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  4. How cool, I like the climbing Petes. A fun sight to see! Have a happy day!

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  5. Black Pete is an interesting tradition. I guess I don't quite understand, if Black Pete is said to be a Moor, why he should be anything but black.

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  6. These "modern times" are becoming ever increasingly annoying.

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  7. I think it's silly and over-reaction to change something that is part of a story that hurts or degrades no one. I can't tell for sure: are these mechanics Petes or human? How fun to see!

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  8. Quite elaborate decorations. I can see both sides of the controversy, though this seems a good compromise.

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  9. I was wondering about that one. I think the objection would be that it was blackface or a white person made up as black person. I do find the black person with Sinter Klaas interesting as we don't have that here.

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  10. I have never heard of Black Pete before so today I learned something new!

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  11. Gosh haven't seen anything like this before Marianne. The world really is getting too weird about political correctness!

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  12. I remember Black Pete. I don't think any harm was intended by the blackened faces.....but maybe I would feel different if I had a black face. Beautiful displays and photos.

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  13. This is new for me. But I'm sure all these look very wonderful.

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