The History of Saint Nicolas and Black Pete

Saint Nicolas and Black Pete (In Dutch: "Sint Nicolaas and Zwarte Piet") are characters from the Dutch tradition of 'Sinterklaas' or 'Sinterklaas Fest'. The name 'Sinterklaas' is short for 'Saint Nicolas'.

## The Origin of the Saint and his Helper

This Dutch tradition is based off the myth of Saint Nicolas, a man who lived in the 4th century in Turkey. He was known for protecting people and giving to the poor and was crowned in the Turkish town Myra for his good deeds. He was born around the year 280 and died around the year 350.

In the tradition Saint Nicolas survived his death and like Santa Claus gives presents to children. Nicolas does not deliver the presents himself, he has a helper called Pete that brings the presents for the children through the chimney. When Pete traveled through the chimney too much his skin became covered in soot. For this reason Pete received a new name: Black Pete.

Every year three weeks before his birthday, December 6th, Saint Nicolas with his helper Black Piet arrives in the Netherlands on his steamboat. After being welcomed by the local mayor he explores the town or city he arrives in the company of children from that city or town. After that he stays in the Netherlands for three weeks and stays in a castle or on his steamboot. Every night in these three weeks children can put their shoe by the fireplace in the hopes that Saint Nicolas and Black Pete fill it with candy and a small present.

December 5th is the Evening of the Presents. During this evening Saint Nicolas and Black Pete will knock on the door of the house and bring a big burlap sack full of presents. It is said that Black Pete also brings a rod (a collection of twigs lashed up) to punish the children who were naughty. On December 6th Saint Nicolas and Black Pete return to their current homeland Spain to return to the Netherlands the following year.

## Traditional Songs

Since at least the 1850s there have been around 20 traditional songs which are sung during the Fest.

* Daar Wordt Aan De Deur Geklopt / There Is Knocking At The Door
* Dag Sinterklaasje / Bye Sinterklaasje
* De Zak Van Sinterklaas / The Sack Of Sinterklaas
* Hij Komt, Hij Komt / He Comes, He Comes
* Hoor, De Wind Waait Door De Bomen / Hear, The Wind Blows Through The Trees
* Hoor, Wie Klopt Daar Kinderen? / Hear, Who Knocks There Children?
* Hop, Hop, Hop
* Jongens, Heb Je 't Al Vernomen? / Guys, Have You Heard It Already?
* Oh, Kom Er Eens Kijken / Oh, Come And Take A Look
* Op De Hoge, Hoge Daken / On The High, High Roofs
* Sinterklaasje, Bonne Bonne Bonne
* Sinterklaas, Die Goede Heer / Sinterklaas, That Good Lord
* Sinterklaas, Goedheiligman / Sinterklaas, Good Holy Man
* Sinterklaas Is Jarig / Sinterklaas His Birthday
* Sinterklaas Kapoentje / Sinterklaas Capuchin
* Sinterklaasje, Kom Maar Binnen Met Je Knecht / Sinterklaasje, Come On In With Your Servant
* Sinterklaas, Zegt Moe / Sinterklaas, Says Mom
* Wie Komt Er Alle Jaren? / Who Comes All The Years?
* Zachtjes Gaan De Paardenvoetjes / Softly Go The Little Horse Feet
* Zie, De Maan Schijnt Door De Bomen / See, The Moon Shines Through The Threes
* Zie, Ginds Komt De Stoomboot / See, There Comes The Steamboat

## In the Dutch Media

The tradition has become huge in the media.

Since 1951 every year the arrival is filmed for national television, in the first 16 years for the news program and since 1967 as it's own, bigger program. There were also additional small programs aired every year in the three weeks after that.

In 1989 when commercial television started in the Netherlands they also started to place Saint Nicolas and Black Piet in existing programs as guest roles. Because of the popularity of the tradition the commercial channel decided to use the same actors who were used by the public channels. In the years after that the characters received their own small programs.

In 1997 the characters landed in a production hurricane when the first Dutch daily drama series was made: *"Pittige Pepernoten"*. The daily program combined a known actor (Michiel Kerbosch) who had been playing Black Piet for about 10 years together with a new Black Piet (Don van Dijke). Again, in the years after, these two characters with their actors were used in programs on other channels who had joined the line of commercial channels aswell as the new commercial actor (Don van Dijke) being shown on the public channels.

Starting in the 1990s certain channels also started their programs with their own actors. It has not been unusual that a channel received complaints from viewers when a different actor was chosen to portray a character that was seen in the earlier mentioned programs. This has lead to some channels (for example Nickelodeon) choosing a regular actor that was known from the public television. A program that was known for receiving complaints was *"Bij Sinterklaas"* aired by Nickelodeon in 2006.

Famous Dutch television programs and movies over the years are *"De Club van Sinterklaas"* (drama series, 1999-2009), *"Sinterklaasjournaal"* (drama series, 2001 - present), *"Bennie Stout"* (feature movie, 2011), *"Het Geheim van het Grote Boek"* (feature movie, 2008) and *"Sinterklaas & Pakjesboot 13"* (feature movie, 2006).

In the Dutch-languaged part of Belgium *"Dag Sinterklaas"* (drama series, 1992-1993) was a known series which has also been aired in the Netherlands. Also, the same public television channel in Belgium airs their version of the arrival of Saint Nicolas since 2003. Since 2015 there have also been feature movies released using the same actors from Belgian public television.

## Saint Nicolas and Black Piet in English Language Television

Over the years there have been a few English language productions about the Sinterklaas Fest.

### This Is Sinterklaas (2015)

Saint Nicolas and Black Pete lay the ground for the tradition, a movie starring Robert Amstler as Saint Nicolas, Ramsey Krull as Black Pete and Natalie Pack as the surprising character Mrs. Nicolas. The movie was directed, written and produced by Tanner Beard.

Although the movie is only 10 minutes long it is an excellent example of how American television or movies about Saint Nicolas and Black Pete could be.

Black Pete is portrayed differently in this American made movie. While his whole face is covered in black soot in the Dutch tradition this is not the case in *"This Is Sinterklaas"*.

The story in this movie is unique because there has never been a Dutch Sinterklaas movie or television series set in medieval times.

Internet airing: https://vimeo.com/141962329

## Trivia

* In the 1947 movie *"Miracle on 34th Street"* a Dutch girl has been adopted by an American family. The girl says Santa Claus can understand her in the Dutch language but her new mother does not believe her. When she sits on Santas lap he does not only speak Dutch, he also sings the Dutch Saint Nicolas song *"Sinterklaas Kapoentje"* with her.