What happened to Zwarte Piet? History and change

Sinterklaas is a much older tradition, but the combination of Saint Nicholas and a recognisable helper was shaped in the Netherlands mainly by the 1850 picture book Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht by Jan Schenkman. The helper was depicted as dark-skinned there.

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century his appearance became linked to ideas about a subordinate African servant. Because this arose in a society with colonialism and slavery, historians see a clear historical context that cannot be left out.

Piet was not only a cheerful helper in the past. In stories and parenting he also had a threatening role: he sometimes carried a rod, could punish naughty children, and was associated with the sack.

From the 1970s the figure gradually became a child-friendly assistant. The rod, chains, and other frightening elements therefore disappeared step by step in many places.

That did not come from one decision or one group, but also from changing ideas about children, parenting, and a celebration without fear.

For many people the traditional appearance is an innocent childhood memory. For others a black-painted face recalls blackface, colonial relations, and racist stereotypes.

They said they faced discrimination at school, on the street, or during the celebration because of it. There was criticism from the 1960s, but around 2011–2013 the debate became nationally visible through demonstrations, lawsuits, political discussion, and international attention.

Organisers sought different solutions. Some arrival parades experimented with coloured Piets, such as rainbow or stroopwafel variants.

Those did not land well with many viewers and therefore remained limited. The more lasting choice became the soot-smudge Piet: a Piet with their own skin colour and a few soot marks, fitting the story that the Piets come through the chimney.

In many places gold earrings, exaggerated red lips, the rod, and the subservient role also disappeared. The soot-smudge Piet eventually became the most widely used new form at public arrivals and on television, but local choices continued to differ.

There was no national law prescribing one version everywhere. Municipalities, schools, shops, broadcasters, and arrival organisers each made their own weighing, sometimes after consultation with local groups.

So in the same period you saw black, dark brown, coloured, and soot-smudge Piets side by side. The public broadcaster adjusted makeup, costumes, and scripts in steps: the Sinterklaasjournaal first showed a mix and later fully switched to soot-smudge Piets.

That phased transition per organisation explains why the image could feel confusing for years.

No. The celebration, arrival parade, shoe tradition, gifts, poems, chocolate letters, and Pakjesavond still exist.

What has ended in many places is the choice for the traditional black-painted appearance. In other places that variant lasted longer, so the image differs per municipality or organisation.

The conflicts were also real: there were fierce demonstrations, threats, and sometimes violence on both sides of the debate. It is not careful to blame one small group; activists, supporters, organisers, and authorities were all part of a broader social conflict.