I did a lot of reading about the Dutch society before the war and just after. At one point the Netherlands operated under a pillar society. What this meant was that each self-identifying group created their own system of society. Each major religion had their own school system, places of work and circle they moved in. There was also an understanding that different social classes remained at their level thought this was not openly discussed.
Though this form of society started to break down I still saw traces of it. Though the Netherlands are small, there are areas with their own dialect; the Roman Catholic church rules the south, the protestant more to the north. And what was really disturbing was the circles we ran in. If someone in the family or acquaintances was lower class in occupation I would be assured that they were "smart". We only went to "quality" stores, ate "quality" food. There were things that others do in Holland that we didn't - notably eating fries with mayo and the little pancakes. Our hosts being older might have accounted for this narrower middle upper class view of Holland and I found it disturbing - as if we weren't really visiting Holland but a narrow version of it. This dedication of staying in the "best" and eating the "best" (within upper middle class standards) meant eating in the same restaurant two nights in a row instead of the other many choices of small places with terraces and local colour.
Most disturbing was the invisibility of those who don't fit. Though very small details of Dutch life were pointed out to us on our visits to different places there was one area where we quickly noticed that no explanation was given. We were in a pretty town and there were what appeared to be gypsies (they go by the name Roma) at the entrance to the area of shops playing accordians for money. I thought they were roma because I had seen a presentation on them in class last semester and they looked very much the same - they certainly weren't Dutch or Muslim by birth. Though they dotted the area - and its hard to miss accordian players - no mention was made of who they were or what they were doing - it was as if these people just feet from us weren't there. I know from class that many Europeans dislike the roma and they were taken to concentration camps by Hitler during the war though their fate has not been recognised to the same extent as other persecuted groups. So whereas other groups of people were commented on either in passing or negatively this group didn't warrant any discussion. We decided not to ask because we didn't want to have a negative conversation about them - little good could come out of that. Cliff, who is usually so gracious, made sure his dontation of coins to the accordian player tinkled enough to draw out a comment from his aunt - but none came! He really can be quite the instigator when he wants to be!
Since people are the same all over, I have been thinking about my own attitudes - who do I ignore?, what class biases do I have that prevent me from seeing the whole world - all of God's children?, is there stuff I wouldn't do because its not "quality"?
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Tolerance
I'm rather disappointed at the ideas the people I have been talking with have here about immigrants.
I know that my aunt has a thing about Muslims and has talked about how there are too many here and that they will take over the country. Yesterday the whole table of people we were sitting with talked about how the people from Turkey are taking over Holland. They are buying land bit by bit and as my aunt says in 50 years the Dutch will be under the authority of the Turks. Of course the complaint is also that the government gives out all kinds of handouts to these people and that the government is wrong to do so.
I have a really low tolerance for this kind of talk. I suspect that the refugees from Turkey are getting thrown into this discussion. I also suspect that everytime a Muslim is seen in the street that it is assumed they are from Turkey. Fact is this is a very Caucasion country from what I have seen so far. I have seen less then ten or 12 blacks the so far. There are some Muslims but not nearly the tidal wave that people talk about.
What really bothers me is that my aunt says that we must remember the war and be "alert". Talking about Turks coming into the country, taking the land and controlling the marketplace and that they are threat to the national security of the Dutch sounds very familiar doesn't it?!
I know that my aunt has a thing about Muslims and has talked about how there are too many here and that they will take over the country. Yesterday the whole table of people we were sitting with talked about how the people from Turkey are taking over Holland. They are buying land bit by bit and as my aunt says in 50 years the Dutch will be under the authority of the Turks. Of course the complaint is also that the government gives out all kinds of handouts to these people and that the government is wrong to do so.
I have a really low tolerance for this kind of talk. I suspect that the refugees from Turkey are getting thrown into this discussion. I also suspect that everytime a Muslim is seen in the street that it is assumed they are from Turkey. Fact is this is a very Caucasion country from what I have seen so far. I have seen less then ten or 12 blacks the so far. There are some Muslims but not nearly the tidal wave that people talk about.
What really bothers me is that my aunt says that we must remember the war and be "alert". Talking about Turks coming into the country, taking the land and controlling the marketplace and that they are threat to the national security of the Dutch sounds very familiar doesn't it?!
Say Cheese
We went away for a few days to see a site with many, many windmills, a few towns and a cheese market. The cheese market has the producers of the local cheese display their products on Friday which are then tested for quality and then purchased by local distributers. The cheese wheels sit it the market square and are carried to be weighted and carted to the storage area. This is quite the event with the market square filled with cheese and with people crowded around the barriers to watch the event. I was thoroughly embarassed when Marta had arranged that we would be some of the few who could sit inside the square and watch the events up close. I'm sure people were wondering who the heck we were and I was wondering myself what connections she had.
The continual driving, Dutch and forced march across Holland is taking its toll and I am becoming frustrated with the continual mothering. We have not been able to pay for much which I am thankful for but I also find it awkward. Our hotel for two nights was one of the nicest places in town - a few rooms in the back garden with homemade bread, meat and cheese for breakfast. The cost was 150 Euros for Cliff and I - over 200 dollars Canadian. There really was no need for the second night and many of the places we have been going have been picked for us.
I am grateful but not one who likes to be told what to do continually and have been resisting in my own way in order to keep my sanity. For instance Cliff was eating an apple and was told he should not eat the skin because of the pesticides. He proceeded to peel it. I would have washed it and then kept eating it. He likes the peel, is not worried about pesticides but is so easy going that it doesn't bother him to give in. Therefore he is asked continually if he has brought his sweater - I refused to take a sweater the first day and have not been asked since! First, we are from Canada and its pretty nice spring temperatures here - secondly we are not on blood thinners like our aunts!
The continual driving, Dutch and forced march across Holland is taking its toll and I am becoming frustrated with the continual mothering. We have not been able to pay for much which I am thankful for but I also find it awkward. Our hotel for two nights was one of the nicest places in town - a few rooms in the back garden with homemade bread, meat and cheese for breakfast. The cost was 150 Euros for Cliff and I - over 200 dollars Canadian. There really was no need for the second night and many of the places we have been going have been picked for us.
I am grateful but not one who likes to be told what to do continually and have been resisting in my own way in order to keep my sanity. For instance Cliff was eating an apple and was told he should not eat the skin because of the pesticides. He proceeded to peel it. I would have washed it and then kept eating it. He likes the peel, is not worried about pesticides but is so easy going that it doesn't bother him to give in. Therefore he is asked continually if he has brought his sweater - I refused to take a sweater the first day and have not been asked since! First, we are from Canada and its pretty nice spring temperatures here - secondly we are not on blood thinners like our aunts!
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