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Facing Racism in the Netherlands

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Facing Racism in the Netherlands darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Gloria Holwerda-Williams1 1Gloria Holwerda-Williams is an artist, activist and educator originally from New York and now based in Amsterdam. She is known for her pioneering A Sint You Want campaign, as well as for the anti-racism eorts of her collective the InterNational Anti-Racism Group, of which she is the founding member. Published on: Nov 09, 2020 License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0) darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Blood Blocks History I think I would, if I could Lift up the streets of the Netherlands and America Lift the streets like sheets Like sheets in need of airing All that misanthropic paperwork inked by the blood of those enslaved Those streets replete prosper in complete denial of misused humans profits royal confabulation And underneath those streets be there sand or stone more than a whiff reeks putrid of lives taken We walk on their forced labor pained in government misrule and popular comfort comments Streets covered in smashed mint chocolates pale this stench That seeps into breath sometimes And underneath those streets Be there water bed stained maimed, ill, uncared for, starved, raped to death Fed to a watery death And underneath those streets Their graven voices will you hear 2 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands A chorus call loud and clear; "Do not let them deny what they do Do let them forge who is who…" by Gloria The Artists Strike Back In the 21st century, this “New Millennium”, contemporary artists, in the Netherlands (and Europe) are addressing Dutch (and European) racism, within their creative work. They face and “deface” racism in the Netherlands. More people are becoming aware that contemporary Netherlands suffers from racism. In this New Millennium Mitch Henriquez, an Arubian tourist, visiting his family in Den Haag, was arrested, beaten and choked to death by the Dutch police. Mr. Henriquez had committed no crime. The mayor of the city, “temporarily” banned public gatherings after protests against the murder were held there.1 In response to racism in the Netherlands, there has been an increase in organizations and individuals working to end racism there. Moreover, in 2014, investigators of racial discrimination from the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Working Group: On People of African Descent,2 came to the Netherlands. The UN Human Rights Council chooses only one country per year. The choice of the Netherlands (in 2014) signifies that the racism occurring there is an issue of global concern. Racism in the Netherlands, includes the Dutch public promotion of racism, and “ritualized degradation” of Black people, via their “Zwarte Piet” (Black Pete) portrayals. The performance of Zwarte Piet involves hundreds of white Dutch people in blackface and afro-wigs, with enlarged red lips and golden hoop earrings, behaving in a buffoonish fashion, every November to early-December. They parade through the streets, on television and in advertisements – throughout the entire country - as part of the Dutch end of year holiday celebrations. Zwarte Piet is the “companion” of white Sinterklaas; he speaks broken Dutch and does all the labour for Sinterklaas, such as carrying the gifts, giving candy to the children and carrying Sinterklaas’ belongings. Zwarte Piet and Sinterklaas “return to Spain” (where they live supposedly) with much expense and Dutch television news and other local media coverage. 3 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Like many racist figures (think: early Mickey Mouse & Walt Disney, or the golliwog in the UK and Australia), Zwarte Piet is a character that is learned in childhood in the Netherlands. Thus, many white Dutch, and even some Dutch people of color support this racist figure because of their childhood association with him. Zwarte Pete, sadly, is not the only Dutch racist figure (for example, see also the Dutch “Gaper”), but the most prominent. The current Prime Minister, Mark Rutte has stated: “Black Pete is black and I cannot change that. Sinterklaas is an old children’s tradition; it’s not Green Pete or Brown Pete and I cannot change that.”3 Rutte’s statement echoes not only the racism involved, but also the ridiculousness of Dutch politicians, and others, defending the character. For all the artists addressing Dutch racism, whose work is amplified in this piece, the public streets of Amsterdam have also been a “site” of their actions and performances. Each of these artists has created performances and/or participated in public events, addressing the racism they have experienced in the Netherlands, or racism received from white Dutch persons. They face the racism there and deface attempts at “white innocence”4 in the Netherlands, and with that, deface some of the colonial history of the Netherlands. Each of these artists are also connected by the history of their birth countries. Sadly, each of these countries was formerly colonized by the Dutch, who profited from the enslavement of their forbearers. Ntando Cele 4 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Fig.1 “XENOPHOBIA”, performance by Ntando Cele, Amsterdam, 2007 @Ntando Cele, with artist’s permission Fig.2 “XENOPHOBIA”, performance by Ntando Cele, Amsterdam, 2007 @Ntando Cele, with artist’s permission 5 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Fig.3 XENOPHOBIA”, performance by Ntando Cele, Amsterdam, 2007 @Ntando Cele, with artist’s permission Fig.4 Ntando Cele as Bianca White @Ntando Cele, with artist’s permission 6 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Fig.5 “Face off”, performance by Ntando Cele, 2012 @Ntando Cele, with artist’s permission Ntando Cele born in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, has been educated as an actress, practices as a poetry improviser, in addition to as a performance artist incorporating music, text and video. Cele’s works are alluring and repelling, humorous and aberrant, deep and subtle, embodying the twists and contorted realities of “everyday racism”. She relates racism’s impact in the daily lives of persons of colour, historically and contemporarily. While studying at DasArts in Amsterdam, Cele created numerous performance and video works. She was also threatened with arrest for one of her public performances in Amsterdam. It came at the end of a performance in which she addresses racism and specifically that which is directed against immigrants in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. As part of this performance entitled ‘Xenophobia’, Cele walked barefoot through popular areas of Amsterdam, with luggage balanced on her head (fig. 1-3). Cele says she creates work as an “interaction/reaction/exclusion” to what happens around her. I find her varying mutations of her body are the tangible enactments, capturing “felt” effects of racism. At times these ‘mutations’ are mask-like. She employs varied forms of masking, also using make-up and/or costumes. She portrays fictional persons such as her white-face character Bianca (fig. 4). In her works the personal is public and the audience is witness and participant. Her wry, nervy, funny and disturbing performances are visceral and get under your skin. Some of Cele’s performance works can be viewed via her blog and Vimeo portal (click here and here). 7 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Quinsy Gario Fig.6 @Quinsy Gario, with artist’s permission 8 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Fig.7 Workshop with Q. Gario @Quinsy Gario, with artist’s permission Fig.8 Q. Gario with anti-Zwarte Piet supporter and T-shirt @Quinsy Gario, with artist’s permission 9 darkmatter hub (beta) • Issue-15 (De-)Facing the dark face of Europe Artists (De)Facing Racism in the Netherlands Quinsy Gario, of Antillean Dutch descent, is a visual artist, activist, poet, performer, playwright, and radio/TV presenter (e.g. his programme “Roet In het Eten” / ”Ashes in the Food”). In response to a public, collaborative project, he initiated in 2011 called “Zwarte Piet Is Racisme” / “Black Pete Is Racism” (fig. 6), Gario has been physically attacked and brutalized by the Dutch police. He has been vilified by Dutch racists in the Dutch mainstream/popular Dutch media and received death threats. The campaign “Zwarte Piet Is Racisme” / “Black Pete Is Racism” engages the public, and creates public presence and awareness of efforts towards ending the use of this racist character and efforts to confront Dutch racism.5 Zwarte Piet Is Racisme has included handmade stencils used with spray paint (a nod to graffiti works, fig. 7) to emblazon these words on T-shirts, sold to the public (all funds going to support the campaign), creating forums for public discussions, and a means for individuals to join these anti-Zwarte Piet and anti-racism efforts. This statement has become a slogan against racism in contemporary Netherlands, encouraged individuals and the formation of other anti-racism groups and organizations throughout the country (fig. 8). Gario has also stood, with others, before local and national Dutch courts, arguing for an end to government funding of school and public events featuring Zwarte Piet. All of these efforts have led to some eventual changes.6 You can view more of his art works via his website (click here).
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