'Ware Zwarte Pieten! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas, a thin man dressed in a red robe who rides a horse named Amerigo, is a bishop from Turkey who seems to be very serious, carrying a big red book wherever he goes, and keeping track of everyone's behavior. Zwarte Pieten is his servant or slave - it is not exactly clear which. Some people believe that Zwarte Pieten was a slave and Sinterklaas purchased his freedom. Whatever is the case, Zwarte Pieten serves Sinterklaas. On the evening of December 5, which is called Sinterklaasavond, the two are seen in towns and villages together.

Answer: Low Countries

The Low Countries include Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, but the legend of Zwarte Pieten has spread! He is not only part of the seasonal festivity in those countries, but he is also seen in Aruba and Curacao, and other locations which were settled by the Dutch during their colonial period. Zwarte Pieten and St. Nicholas typically arrive by the second week of November, but their point of arrival may be different according to the country; in the Netherlands the port changes each year, but in Belgium they arrive at Antwerp. My cousin who lives in Antwerp thinks that nothing is better than being at the port for the arrival of the pair!

Answer: Feeding St. Nick's horse

The purpose of including Zwarte Pieten seems to be so that he can take care of punishments while Sinterklaas can reward the good, but Zwarte Pieten really does seem to take care of everything for Sinterklaas. He is quite a cheerful fellow, although he can be somewhat frightening for those children who are bad.

It is common to see Zwarte Pieten doing athletic stunts to please and entertain the crowd when he and his sidekick arrive. He also may pass out treats, although traditionally the children place their shoes either outside the door of the home or at the hearth with a treat for St. Nicholas and his horse.

Their presents or treats, which may be chocolate or traditional cookies such as kruidnoten or pepernoot, are left inside the shoes - but this is only for the good ones!

Answer: Moor

During the Middle Ages, the term Moor was used to describe Muslims who lived in northwestern Africa, and eventually on the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, or Malta. While the term was not used to describe a race of people, it was used along with the name Saracen to denote Muslims from Africa.

Some were black skinned - like Othello in Shakespeare's play that we have been studying at school - and some were olive-skinned. Some people believe the fact that Zwarte Pieten has black skin implies that he is a slave or servant to his companion.

It is a tradition for those people who dress up as Black Peter to wear blackface.

Answer: Chimney sweep

Miraculously, Zwarte Pieten cleans the chimneys and only his face - not any of his medieval-looking clothes - is covered with cinders. There is also the belief that the idea of a black companion goes back even further in legend and might represent the dark one - Satan, who was put in chains by Sinterklaas because good always triumphs over evil.

Indeed, many countries have representations of a similar character - like the Krampus that I told you about last year.

Answer: Odin

During an event called the Wild Hunt, Odin would ride his steed, Sleipnir, from home to home on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. He would lead ancestral ghosts, who sometimes could become very violent if encountered by humans. His ravens also traveled with him; it was their job to listen at the chimney to hear how the people were behaving.

The purpose of the Wild Hunt was to bless the land. Odin became St. Nicholas, who, riding a white or grey horse, would go from home to home, dropping gifts down chimneys. Zwarte Pieten took over the ravens' job of listening at the chimney.

Answer: Spain

The story is that really bad children will be put in a burlap bag and taken to Spain. If you remember your history, the Moors began to invade Spain in 711 AD, and were quite difficult to move out, staying there for eight hundred years. Some people believe that this reference, as far as Zwarte Pieten is concerned, has to do with the fact that the Moors constantly raided the Iberian coastal areas in order to capture slaves.

It could also be a reference to the 1087 transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra to Bari, Italy, which, at the time, was part of the domain of the Spanish Hapsburgs.

Another fact that seems to show that Zwarte Pieten was from Spain is the fact that one of the treats he passes out is a Mandarin orange - from Spain!

Answer: Jan Schenkman

Jan Schenkman is a primary school teacher from Amsterdam. He has written many songs about Sinterklaas for children. His "Sint Nikolaas en zijn Knecht", that translates as "Saint Nicholas and his Servant", tells about Zwarte Pieten, although he is never mentioned by name. He is described as a page or servant of St. Nicholas, with dark skin, curly hair, old-fashioned clothing, and gold earrings. The legend of Zwarte Pieten has been in existence for a long while, but the book is the first time the two are described as arriving in a steamboat! Some people are saying that they think the author might have been influenced by the use of black slaves by the Dutch royal family.

(Author's Note: The Netherlands did not outlaw the slave trade until 1863. That was also the same year that Jan Schenkman passed away.)

Answer: False

Like I said, on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day, children will place their shoes either outside the door or by the hearth, hoping for some special treats. Some of the songs that I have heard people sing give a warning about what will happen to children even if they are a little bit naughty. Zwarte Pieten may leave a lump of coal, some switches, or simply nothing at all.

Answer: False

Author's Note: I know what you are thinking! The tradition of Zwarte Pieten is wildly racist. Most certainly in our day it is seen in that way. John, however, living in Victorian England, would not have seen anything wrong with it. As a matter of fact, surveys show that most people in the Benelux countries do not believe it is.

In 2013, 92% of the Dutch people said they do not associate Zwarte Pieten with racism or slavery. While this may be the case, nevertheless, the United Nations asked the Netherlands to end of practice of black face. Zwarte Pieten was not outlawed, but it was agreed that only sooty faces - not black ones - would be allowed in public celebrations.

This is still an issue which finds many people in the Netherlands divided.