The Netherlands (and my home of Belgium) could easily get out of accusations of racism and changes to Zwarte Piet if they could just be honest about his origins. Presumably because of their religious pasts, the connections between our modern versions of Santa Claus and Saint Nicolas, and the old god Wotan has been hidden and later forgotten. Wotan (and his close-cousin Odin) had a raven companion that he had the power to change into a servant to help him. The servant being black because he was a human-raven.
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The Netherlands (and my home of Belgium) could easily get out of accusations of racism and changes to Zwarte Piet if they could just be honest about his origins. Presumably because of their religious pasts, the connections between our modern versions of Santa Claus and Saint Nicolas, and the old god Wotan has been hidden and later forgotten. Wotan (and his close-cousin Odin) had a raven companion that he had the power to change into a servant to help him. The servant being black because he was a human-raven.