CHILLIWACK TIMES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
A9
Letters
Nothing racist about the true story of Sinterklaas Editor: Bob Groeneveld’s opinion in “White guy, black slave, racist?” in the Dec. 6 Times is unfortunately not getting the facts straight. The origins of the Sinterklaas/Black Peter tradition had nothing to do with slavery and racism. With his biased view he is apt to deprive the Dutch group in our society of a much-loved tradition. I wonder which traditions he is next to tackle: the East Indians, the Chinese? The story of St. Nicolaas began with the Vikings. Their God named Odin rode throughout the world in the winter on his eight-footed horse, Sleipnir, giving out gifts or punishment. His son Thor, god of farming, thunder and war made his home in the far North. His weapon was the lightning rod, his colour was red. While his father went about the world, Thor fought the gods of ice and snow, and conquered the cold. During the same season, the gentle German goddess Hertha came down with her gifts of good fortune and health. In the Germanic north of Europe, where memories of pagan deities lingered deep below the Christian surface, the bishop became mixed up with still existing pagan beliefs: bishop’s robe became a long red winter coat, the miter turned into a fur cap. St. Nicholas has traditionally brought gifts to German children on the eve of his feast day, Dec. 6. He traveled with a dark-faced companion, often a frightening figure, known variously as Krampus, Pelzebock, Pelznickel, Hans Muff, Bartel, or Gumphinkel. Most commonly the companion was called Knecht Ruprecht and carried a bundle of switches. Children in Germany trembled before the annual visit of the Weinachtsmann, carrying gifts for good children and birch twigs with which to punish the naughty ones. Various sinister companions might accompany the Weinachtsmann. Those people gave Nicholas a white horse, previously owned by the God Wodan, along with Wodan’s spear, which they later transformed with a curl at the top. The wavy beard and cape were also the property of Wodan, who is now cold and horseless. Nicholas was named Sankt Herr Klaas, which the Dutch transformed to Sinterklaas and the English to Saint Nick. For Wodan and his son Oel, the Germanics used to lay presents under the smoke hole of their medieval houses, hoping that they would be rewarded by their god with new fertility, with life and with spring. Oel went by the houses to receive these presents, or to punish those who deserved such. He entered the house through the smoke hole, through which his face was darkened by the soot. After the tenth century Oel received a mortal name: Peter (black Peter) and became the boy servant to Nicholas. In olden days, young people were touched with bundles of twigs during initiation ceremonies, so as to give them growing strength and fertility. From then onwards, they were treated as adults and were allowed to marry. The bundle of twigs used by Black Peter nowadays to deliver taps to his left and right are still a remainder of that old practice. The origin of the sack, carried
Send us a letter TO INCLUDE YOUR LETTER, use our online form at www.chilliwacktimes.com, contact us by e-mail at editorial@chilliwacktimes.com, fax 604-792-9300 or mail us at 45951 Trethewey Ave, Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 1K4. Letters must include first and last names and your hometown and should be fewer than 200 words. To view our letters/privacy policy visit our website at www.chilliwacktimes.com. around by Black Peter for St. Nicholas, comes from the German belief, that when in the morning, light appears, the moon was being put in a bag. The next day it was out again, so that it could restart its climb to the heavens. This is why Peter carries that bag; Saint Nicholas with his white beard symbolizes the full moon and Peter with his soot black face symbolizes the new moon, the one that’s gone in the sack. In many parts of the Old World, St. Nicholas’ Day and Christmas blended into a single treat, and the old man of Myra marched on as jolly patron of a cheerful and expectant season. The German Weinachtsmann has more resemblance to the English American Santa Claus than to Saint Nicholas. The different Santas worldwide were arrayed in every colour of the rainbow, sometimes even in black. But they all had long white beards and carried gifts for the children. If Bob Groeneveld was right about his views, it raises the question why it is so immensely popular in a country like Holland even amongst those who are not Caucasion. Frans Dullemond Chilliwack
Seasons greetings in a secular way Editor: As the dreary days of December draw ever closer to the winter solstice, I’m always happy to see people adding lights to homes and landscapes, decorating with holly and ivy and bringing in the tree. Those and other traditions tend to lift our spirits and make the Christmas season a special time of year for all of us, believer and non-believer alike. However, at this time of year, I hear a lot of bleating and braying about Jesus being the “reason for the season.” I’d just like to point out that the aforementioned traditions and many others predate the birth of Christ, some by centuries. The Roman festival of Saturnalia, which culminated on Dec. 25, was celebrated around the winter solstice and included feasting and gift-giving. Other pagan cultures in northern Europe celebrated the solstice by decorating evergreen trees and hanging mistletoe which symbolized peace and love. Even Christian scholars agree that Dec. 25 was most likely not Christ’s birthday. There is no biblical mention of Christ being born on Dec. 25 and the earliest historical record of celebrating his birthday at the winter solstice is from the 4th century AD. Certainly, Christianity has added to the whole solstice festival in tradi-
tion, story and song, and Christians gave it a new name but they don’t own it. We all get to enjoy the trimming of trees, the giving of gifts and the other reasons for the season. In closing, I’d like to wish one and all a very merry Christmas, in a secular kind of way. Gord Smith Chilliwack
Lost confidence in Conservatives Editor: I thank you for your articles regarding Bev MacGregor (follow up in the Dec. 6 Times page A3 “Rallying for cancer victim”). I applaud the friends, relatives and community and even strangers for their compassion and response. And as great as it is it will not be enough to save Bev MacGregor from possibly losing her townhome in the future or affording all the meds needed to help her conquer cancer. The system needs to change; the EI system, the medical system, the CPP system and the social welfare system need better appeal options for cases such as this. That is the responsibility of our elected officials, and I call on MP and MLA to do something about this—that is why they are elected by the people, to be for the people and to do what is right. I voted for both Strahls, and when another person I know was involved in a very similar situation Chuck Strahl went to bat for that person to get EI and they did. I am not so quick to vote for Mark again due to his attitude and comments on this subject. When I mentioned this other case Mark Strahl said, “that was before the change.” Well he was one that voted for the change and he should have thought this through before doing that. He should have done his research and found that these cancer patients are not eligible for Social Assistance without liquidating their assets (including homes); nor are they considered prime candidates for CPP disability. The latter is especially hard to collect as they seem to turn down almost everyone who does not apply numerous times and jump through all the hoops. As for the comment about it not being fiscally responsible, maybe the Conservatives, and all MPs who voted against cancer patients collecting what EI benefits they may have earned and are entitled to, should first consider how “fiscally responsible” their own wages and pension are in this “economy.” It is always easier to throw those terms around when it is not affecting your own pocketbook or ability to keep
a home you have worked hard for or be refused benefits you worked hard for. It is not just the “small business” that Mark likes to protect who paid into those benefits. The employees themselves have paid benefits through their own payroll deductions; and even the employer’s part is owed to them for their work time in that business. I was happy to see MacGregor’s last employer donated $1,000, and that sort of blows Strahl’s comment about it being too hard on small business (to pay the EI benefits sick benefits) out of the water. The best test of a politician, so far as we are concerned, is the ability to admit when you made a mistake and go back and correct it. Mark Strahl needs to go back and ask his party to revamp this bill to at least have a reasonable appeal clause for people in similar positions to MacGregor. That is the only thing that would convince me, and likely many others, to consider voting for him in the future. Fiscal responsibility should begin with the MP’s own wages and benefits; that would save a lot of money in this economy and maybe prevent people like MacGregor from being denied benefits they paid into. Let’s not be the silent majority on this issue; let your MLA and MP know how you feel. Consider what you would do if you or a relative who was the main, or only, income earner for the family were suddenly stricken with cancer and denied all or any benefits you have paid into or financial assistance; even medical needs in such a time as this. We need MPs who are not “yes men” but will vote in favour of the people who elected them to do so. We have lost confidence in the Conservative Party after voting Conservative for many years. Wayne and Betty Snerle Chilliwack
It’s a shame seniors must pay premiums Editor: British Columbia is the only province or territory in Canada where seniors pay medical plan premiums. In some provinces no one pays these premiums, and in some provinces, seniors have never paid. B.C. is supposed to be a “have” province and prosperous; why then do the seniors pay medical premiums? This is shameful that seniors in B.C. are the only seniors in Canada that pay these premiums. In B.C. there are more than 70,000 retired seniors that receive municipal/superannuation payments, but only about 7,000 are members of the MPRA ( Municipal Pension Retirees Association)—an organization that is fighting against reduced benefits for seniors and payment of medical plan premiums. The B.C. government will not take the voice of 7,000 seriously, but they would have to listen to an organization that represents 70,000 (and their sphere of influence—family/ friends/neighbours) contacts. This number does not include the thousands of seniors that don’t receive a municipal pension, who should be connecting to an OAP or other organization to help bring this matter to
the forefront before the next election. After all, a very large percentage of the voters are seniors. If you are a retiree who receives a public sector pension, join your local MPRA District now and help us help you. In Chilliwack, contact MPRA District 4 president Malcolm Shanks at 604-858-7633 or attend the next meeting at the Chilliwack Library on Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. Malcolm Shanks Chilliwack
Physical fitness helps with school Editor: In today’s technology-driven, plasma-screened-in world, it has been brought to my attention that our inactivity is killing us. Findings from studies in Chilliwack seem to support this. They state that only 72 per cent of Chilliwack students finish highschool within six years of starting Grade 8. Maybe this is a sign that they are going about it all wrong. Instead of focusing on academics, they should concentrate more on developing healthy students through physical fitness. I can personally feel the effects fitness has on the brain. Since September I have been attending the baseball academy at Sardis secondary. I participate in two-and-a-half hours of physical education everyday. My grades have gone from Cs to Bs in this short amount of time. The relationship between food, physical activity and learning is clearly important and should not be ignored. To keep our brains at peak performance our bodies need to work hard. Physical activity is crucial to the way we think and feel. I think our school district should put more emphasis on physical education if it wants our city’s graduation rate to improve. Jacob Stelting Sardis
Another successful seniors dinner Editor: Thank you seniors who attended and supported the Seniors Christmas dinner on Dec. 5 at Chilliwack secondary school. We had a sold-out crowd of 200. Again the cafeteria was transformed into a beautiful dining room. The round tables with linen table cloths and red napkins in water glasses looked very festive. The menu was a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Thank you to teaching chef Terry McDougall, chef instructor Sharon Touchet, baker Christine Cutajar and garde manger Judith Booker. The culinary arts students and all the student volunteers are to be commended for a job well done. We appreciate all the time and effort that goes into this event. Proceeds go to the CSSS Culinary Arts Program. Please mark your calendar for the Seniors Bursary Dinner to be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Thelma Schwandt on behalf of the committee