The steam ship enters a port. It came from the South, filled with different goods. Excited people are waiting on a coast. It's quite busy on a board. The bearded owner of the ship is greeting the cheering crowd and gives orders to his black helpers to prepare the goods for landing. Children are going crazy!... Sounds like a report from colonial times, when the ship arrived from Indonesia, India or Caribbean? Nooo... it's just Sinterklaas coming! The biggest event of the year. All children are waiting for this day. It's the most friendly and happy dutch tradition ;)
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| A boat with Sinterklaas and Zwarte Pieten comes Nijmegen |
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| "Peters" are transporting the gifts and sacks full of pepernoten... |
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| ... and are giving the sweets to the children (and adults as well) |
Yes my Dear Readers... It's a Santa Claus season! Officially he comes on the 5th December, but since the last weekend he starts appearing here and there. Last Saturday he also visited Nijmegen. From now on children start puting their shoes by the door hoping for some sweets and little gifts. They love Sinterklaas, but their real hero is Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). It's the Piets who carry the gifts after all.
Every year by the end of November you can hear discussions, jokes and complains of some expats. Some of the people see the Zwarte Piet as an example of racism. Why?... Personally I don't see anything wrong about that tradition and definitelly no signs of racism. Everyone loves this character. And all of these embittered ones I'd compare to the conspiracy theorists, who believe that the Smoleńsk crash was planned by polish prime minister, KGB and UFO all together.
Who knows, maybe next year I'll volunteer and become a Zwarte Piet for a day? :)
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