In Germany, there's a holiday on 6 December when a Santa Clause-like figure called St. Nicholas visits to put candy in the shoes of children. (But he is not Santa Clause/Father Christmas. Not the same person. Though they dress alike and have similar life-goals and both visit in December.)
As this charming custom was explained to me I was also told that St. Nicholas is accompanied by a black man, Knecht Ruprecht. If you've been good that year, St. N. leaves the candy in your shoe. If you haven't been good, the black man, Knecht Ruprecht, beats you with a club.
I read about this online at the link above where the author claims that in the past, Knecht Ruprecht was known as a black man, but not anymore, of course, in these enlightened times, etc. But my roommates confirmed sheepishly that current lore has it that he's a black man and lives, as you might imagine, in either the Black Forest or on the Black Sea.
And then, I was in the airport and this guy dressed like Santa Clause cruised by accompanied by women in black face, dressed in something like an elf costume (red, white fur trim).
Well, so merry racist Christmas.
3 comments:
I was at first confused by this tradition. Then I read this article : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet
While I now understand the German tradition, I think what I mostly understand is that it is racist. Threatening children with kiddnapping by a Black man if they don't act right is one sad sorry parenting practice. Also, just a heads up, Northern Europe, if you get upset when someone tells you that you can't wear black face, you're probably a racist.
Wait, you mean the Black Man won't steal me away in the night if I don't eat brocoli?
that guy in the picture is totally wearing Santa's bathrobe! he's naked under there.
bringing candy to the kids, my ass!
that's probably what the person in all black is there for, to make sure St. Nick doesn't get fresh with the kids.
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