Today the arrival of Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas), the patron Saint of children, is celebrated in Amsterdam. Since 1934, according to tradition, St. Nicholas arrives from Spain in the Netherlands to bring gifts for the children. He always arrives in a boat to later mount his white horse Amerigo and parade among the children with his assistants called Zwarte Pieten.
In recent years this celebration has been tainted by controversy because the assistants with their faces painted black have the appearance of slaves. Antiracist movements rose up against the representation of this character and caused a real stir in Dutch society, anchored to its traditions. Amsterdam is breaking this tradition since the Zwarte Pieten will not paint their faces black and will wear different costumes depicting the Spanish nobility of the sixteenth century.
Size: 5760px × 3840px
Location: Ámsterdam, Países Bajos
Photo credit: © Nacho Calonge / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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