![]() ![]() Traditionally Zwarte Piet's face is said to be black because he is a Moor from Spain. In modern adaptations for television, Sinterklaas has developed a Zwarte Piet for every function, such as a Head Piet ( Hoofdpiet), a Navigation Piet ( Wegwijspiet) to navigate the steamboat from Spain to the Netherlands, a Presents Piet ( Pakjespiet) to wrap all the gifts, and Acrobatic Piet to climb roofs and chimneys. Over the years many stories have been added, and Zwarte Piet has developed into a valuable assistant to the absent-minded saint. In modern versions of the Sinterklaas feast, however, Zwarte Piet no longer carries the roe and children are no longer told that they will be taken back to Spain in Zwarte Piet's bag if they have been naughty. This quality can be found in other companions of Saint Nicholas such as Krampus and Père Fouettard. This part of the legend refers to the times that the Moors raided the European coasts, and as far as Iceland, to abduct the local people into slavery. Some of the older Sinterklaas songs make mention of naughty children being put in Zwarte Piet's bag and being taken back to Spain. Traditionally, he would also carry a birch rod (Dutch: roe), a chimney sweep's broom made of willow branches, used to spank children who had been naughty. ![]() He is typically depicted carrying a bag which contains candy for the children, which he tosses around, a tradition supposedly originating in the story of Saint Nicholas saving three young girls from prostitution by tossing golden coins through their window at night to pay their dowries. Zwarte Piet's colourful dress is based on 16th-century noble attire, with a ruff ( lace collar) and a feathered cap. ![]() Nicholas and His Servant"), published in 1850 by Amsterdam schoolteacher Jan Schenkman however, the tradition appears to date back at least as far as the early 19th century. Zwarte Piet first appeared in print as the nameless servant of Saint Nicholas in Sint-Nikolaas en zijn knecht ("St. Sinterklaas is assisted by Zwarte Piet ("Black Pete"), a helper dressed in Moorish attire and in blackface. Zwarte Piet Two Dutch women in costume as Zwarte Piet Sinterklaas carries a big, red book which records whether each child has been good or naughty in the past year. In Belgium, the horse is named Slecht weer vandaag, meaning "bad weather today" or Mooi weer vandaag ("nice weather today"). In the Netherlands, the last horse was called Amerigo, but he was "pensioned" (i.e., died) in 2019 and replaced with a new horse called Ozosnel ("oh so fast"), after a passage in a well-known Sinterklaas song. He wears a long red cape or chasuble over a traditional white bishop's alb and a sometimes-red stole, dons a red mitre and ruby ring, and holds a gold-coloured crosier, a long ceremonial shepherd's staff with a fancy curled top. He is depicted as an elderly, stately and serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. Sinterklaas is based on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas (270–343), a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. Figures Sinterklaas Sinterklaas played by Bram van der Vlugt Sinterklaas is one of the sources of the popular Christmas icon of Santa Claus. The tradition is also celebrated in some territories of the former Dutch Empire, including Aruba. ![]() Nicholas' Eve (5 December) in the Netherlands and on the morning of 6 December, Saint Nicholas Day, Belgium, Luxembourg, western Germany, northern France (French Flanders, Lorraine, Alsace and Artois), and Hungary. The feast is celebrated annually with the giving of gifts on St. The feast of Sinterklaas celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December. Sinterklaas and his companion Zwarte Pietĭelivering gifts to children on St Nicholas' Eve ![]()
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