Editing Blackface (section)

=== Belgium and Netherlands ===
==== Christian traditions: Sinterklaas ====
[[File:Piet_Sancho.jpg|thumb|A Dutch man in [[Zwarte Piet]] costume]]
[[File:Sinterklaas aangekomen in Nijmegen 2016.webm|thumb|Sinterklaas and his Black Petes arrive by boat at the start of a procession in Nijmegen (Netherlands), 2016]]
In the Netherlands and Belgium, people annually celebrate [[Sinterklaas|St. Nicolas Eve]] with [[Sinterklaas]], the Dutch version of [[Saint Nicholas Day|Saint Nicholas]], accompanied by multiple helpers or [[Zwarte Piet|"Zwarte Pieten"]] (Black Petes). The first is typically an older white man similar to the American Santa, while the latter are usually adolescent boys and girls, and men and women in make-up and attire similar to the American blackface. The task of the Pieten is generally to entertain the children with jokes and pranks, and to help Sinterklaas distribute presents and dole out candy. The Pieten wear [[Moors|Moorish]] [[Page (servant)|page boy]] costumes and partake in parades.<ref name="BDF">{{cite book|last=Forbes|first=Bruce David|title=Christmas: A Candid History|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|year=2007|place=|page=54|quote=With Arab influence remaining among the Spanish population, Sinter Klaas had a Moorish assistant named Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, an orphan who was pictured at times wearing a turban and a golden earring. Alternative explanations for his dark skin were that it was soot, from sliding down chimneys, or that he was a representation of the devil, who Saint Nicholas was able to conquer and force into his service. In annual observances over the years, Zwarte Piet was portrayed by a person in black face, and today some cultural commentators have criticized the legends and representations of Black Peter for racial stereotyping.}}</ref>

The Moorish Zwarte Piet character has been traced back to the middle of the 19th century when Jan Schenkman, a popular children's book author, added a black servant to the Sinterklaas story.<ref>{{cite web |title=De oudst bekende naam van Zwarte Piet: Pieter-mê-knecht (1850) |year=1850 |url=http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/cms/nl/nieuwsbriefteksten/nieuwsbriefuitgelicht/143677-de-oudst-bekende-naam-van-zwarte-piet-pieter-me-knecht-1850 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030062242/http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/cms/nl/nieuwsbriefteksten/nieuwsbriefuitgelicht/143677-de-oudst-bekende-naam-van-zwarte-piet-pieter-me-knecht-1850 |archive-date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=November 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The ''Dag Sinterklaas'' TV series written by [[Hugo Matthysen]] in Belgium since the early 1990s provided a non-racial explanation: Zwarte Piet is black not because of his skin, because of sliding through the chimney to deliver presents. Twenty years later, [[Bart Peeters]] (the main actor in the series) stated it is thanks to Matthysen that in Belgium the Sinterklaas event has not been subject of a racism discussion as it has been in the Netherlands, because the series explains that the figure of Zwarte Piet has nothing to do with slavery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/1.1761344 |title="Hugo Matthysen heeft de puntjes op de i van de Sint gezet" |first=Inne |last=Verhoogen |publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie|VRT]] |date=23 October 2013 |language=nl}}</ref> However, the original and archetypal Zwarte Piet is believed to be a continuation of a much older custom in which people with blackface appeared in Winter Solstice rituals.<ref>{{harvnb|Bas|2013|pages=32, 34, 42–50}}</ref> In other parts of Western Europe and in Central Europe, black-faced and masked people also perform the role of [[companions of Saint Nicholas]], who is known as Nikolo in Austria, Nikolaus in Germany and Samichlaus in Switzerland. Also on [[St. Martin's Day|Saint Martin]]'s Eve, black-faced men go around in processions through [[Wörgl]] and the Lower [[Inn (river)|Inn]] Valley, in [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]].<ref name="Bas 2013 page=49">{{harvnb|Bas|2013|page=49}}</ref>

Due to Zwarte Piet's strong aesthetic resemblance to the archetypal US blackface, as well as the dynamics between the blackface servants and the white Sinterklaas,<ref>{{cite web| title =Sinterklaas:Illustraties| date= 1814–1948| url =http://www.kb.nl/uitgelicht/kinderboeken/sinterklaas/sinterklaas-ill.html| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110607223042/http://www.kb.nl/uitgelicht/kinderboeken/sinterklaas/sinterklaas-ill.html| archive-date =June 7, 2011| access-date =November 29, 2007}}</ref> there has been international condemnation of the practice since the 1960s.<ref>Hoving, I. e.a. (2005) [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/hovi002cult01_01/ ''Cultuur en migratie in Nederland. Veranderingen van het alledaagse 1950–2000''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117103847/https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/hovi002cult01_01/ |date=November 17, 2019 }} Den Haag: Sdu Uitgevers p.253</ref> Some of the stereotypical elements have been toned down in recent decades as a result of increasing protests within the nation.<ref>{{cite news|last=Picheta|first=Rob |title=This country with a colonial history has a blackface problem|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/30/europe/belgium-blackface-colonial-history-intl/index.html|access-date=August 10, 2020|website=CNN|date=November 30, 2019 }}</ref> For example, there has been a transition towards applying only a few smears of 'soot' to the Piet's cheeks, rather than apply a full blackface.<ref name="zp-criticism">{{cite news |title=Criticism of Dutch 'Black Pete' tradition grows |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/criticism-of-dutch-black-pete-tradition-grows |work=Fox News |agency=Associated Press |date=26 March 2015 }}</ref> The public support for changing the character was at 5% (versus 89% opposed to such changes) in 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eenvandaag.nl/binnenland/47571/_zwarte_piet_niet_racistisch_en_moet_blijven_ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131023064631/http://www.eenvandaag.nl/binnenland/47571/_zwarte_piet_niet_racistisch_en_moet_blijven_ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |title=Zwarte Piet niet racistisch en moet blijven |publisher=EenVandaag |date=October 22, 2013 |access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> which increased to 26% (versus 68% opposed to such changes) in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Draagvlak voor traditionele Zwarte Piet loopt terug |url=https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/panels/opiniepanel/alle-uitslagen/item/draagvlak-voor-traditionele-zwarte-piet-loopt-terug/ |website=EenVandaag |date=November 22, 2017 |language=nl}}</ref> However, in 2019, support for changing the character of Zwarte Piet underwent a slight decline, with opposition to changes increasing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Klapwijk |first1=Petra |title=Weinig draagvlak voor roetveegpieten bij landelijke intocht Sinterklaas |url=https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/panels/opiniepanel/alle-uitslagen/item/weinig-draagvlak-voor-roetveegpieten-bij-landelijke-intocht-sinterklaas/ |website=EenVandaag |access-date=November 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115110320/https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/panels/opiniepanel/alle-uitslagen/item/weinig-draagvlak-voor-roetveegpieten-bij-landelijke-intocht-sinterklaas/ |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2020, following the [[murder of George Floyd]] and worldwide protests against racism, the Dutch prime minister [[Mark Rutte]] (who since 2013 had strongly supported Zwarte Piet and condemned protests against suggestions for change) stated he had changed his mind on the matter and hoped the tradition would die out. Yet, he emphasized not intending to impose an official ban and noted he too retains sympathy towards those who do not want to let go of Zwarte Piet.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Krever|first1=Mick |first2= Amy |last2=Woodyatt|title=Dutch PM's opinions on blackface have undergone 'major changes' – but he won't ban it|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/europe/black-pete-netherlands-intl-scli/index.html|access-date=August 10, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=June 5, 2020|title=Dutch PM sceptical about Black Pete tradition|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52937623|access-date=August 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Carleton|first=Marie-Helene|title=Zwarte Piet: Black Pete is 'Dutch racism in full display'|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/zwarte-piet-black-pete-dutch-racism-full-display-181127153936872.html|access-date=August 10, 2020|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>