Coming Soon, Sinterklaas & Non Racial, Non Controversial Peter

Racial complaints mire New Westminster Christmas parade


Racism or tradition? Sint Nicolaas and Black Peter arrive at the Quay during a Sinterklaas celebration several years ago. Organizers of this year's event are now facing concerns about racism in including the Black Peter character in the celebrations.
Photograph by: File photo, Royal City Record

Organizers of New Westminster’s Dutch Sinterklaas celebrations will pull “Black Peter” from their traditional parade next weekend after complaints that the black-faced helper carries racist undertones.

Members of the African-Canadian community had complained that Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, a young person in blackface makeup, is offensive and outdated and should not be included in the Dec. 3 event.

This will be the first time since 1985 that Black Peter will not accompany Sinterklaas as he heads to New Westminster Quay aboard a paddlewheeler boat.

“We will not have Black Peter,” organizer Tako Slump said Friday.”We did all our research and came up with the understanding that they do have a point. We can assure the African-Canadian community that there will not be any offensive black faces.”

A statement from Sinterklaas organizers apologized to those “who may have found aspects of our celebrations demanding and hurtful.”

Slump said organizers want to hear from the Dutch community about how to proceed without Zwarte Piet in the Sinterklaas event, which is scheduled for the boardwalk on Westminster Quay and will feature Sint Nicolaas, as per Dutch tradition, giving gifts, singing songs and playing games with local children.

The celebration draws between 400 and 600 Dutch Canadians every year.

“There are different options but we really want to hear from the community how they would like to fill it in,” Slump said, noting a decision will likely be made after the weekend festivities. “It’s a big issue.”

Bernard Piprah, an organizer of the annual Black History Month symposium at Douglas College, had argued the Black Peter character comes loaded with offensive, racist stereotypes.

According to the Dutch tradition, Black Peter is responsible for carrying a book full of the names of naughty children, along with a rod and a sack to take the bad children away.

“[The character] is degrading, and it’s racist, and it’s incredibly outdated,” Piprah said. “You can’t erase that. You can go to your local library and read that this Black Peter was a slave. He beat children. He was dumb, and he spoke buffoonish Dutch. There are just so many insulting aspects to that character, and I can’t believe they’re celebrating it in New Westminster.”

Piprah said Friday it was a “reasonable compromise” to eliminate Black Peter from the annual celebration. “It’s kind of something they should address, no matter what the culture, when an aspect of it is clearly offensive to a particular group,” he said.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Racial+complaints+mire+Westminster+Christmas+parade/5769422/story.html#ixzz1fBs9aLEG