Saint Nicholas, left, and “Zwarte Piet” of Black Pete greeted children when arriving in the historic city of Gouda, Netherlands, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. Black Petes, the traditional black-faced sidekicks of Sinterklaas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, walked side-by-side with yellow-colored “Cheese Petes” and “cookie Petes,” a nod to the city’s most famous products, […]
Saint Nicholas, left, and “Zwarte Piet” of Black Pete greeted children when arriving in the historic city of Gouda, Netherlands, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. Black Petes, the traditional black-faced sidekicks of Sinterklaas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, walked side-by-side with yellow-colored “Cheese Petes” and “cookie Petes,” a nod to the city’s most famous products, but also a concession to critics of the traditional Black Petes. Ever more, the children’s fairy tale that has delighted kids for generations is being framed as a very politicized debate in the Netherlands, where discussion about the place in society of immigrants has simmered for years. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)