BonBon: PRINSEHOF DEBATE RACISM

So on the 7th off March I joined my father in a debate about discrimination, het Prinsenhof revisited. This debate was also held in the year 1984 when there was lots of confrontation between different immigrated groups, the Dutch police force and civilians. The immigrants felt excluded and discriminated by the whole Dutch system. Leading up to this debate was the murder on a young boy with Surinam’s roots Kevin Duinmijers. He was killed because of his skin tone and origins. This year the organised team of the Prinsenhof invited all the old speakers from then and asked them to bring their children, so we could continue the debate about discrimination and see witch form it takes in our modern society.

It was a very inspiring evening I even let a tear when a poem was presented by the very talented spoken words artist Know’ledge,( www.soulrebelmovement.org ).The poem was about zwarte Piet and Sinterklaas.

Let me explain: zwarte Piet is open discrimination witch is tolerated throughout Holland because of its traditional value, it’s a children’s feast on the 5th of December. Sinterklaas is a holy Saint that comes from Spain and gives out presents to the children who where good behaved that last year. Really something like Santa Claus.

Sinterklaas has a long white beard, rides a horse on the rooftops, where’s a red cloak and hands out candy and presents. That’s sounds all good and well but….. the significant different is that Sinterklaas doesn’t have green little helpers like Santa Claus, he has zwarte pieten who help him give out all the presents. Zwarte piet is black has golden earrings, black curly hair and red lips…any similarities with a certain group of people??? The Dutch government sais no…they are black because they went down the chimney to give the children presents...not because it’s a racial thing…it hurts.

I was so inspired by the spoken word artist that I had a little chat with him after the debate and got his info.

It was a night to remember.