The Netherlands is a country in northwest Europe with a long and fascinating past that has influenced its rich culture. The exploratory nature of the Dutch and the nation’s geographical variations have also contributed to the culture’s enrichment.
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Language, Religion, And Ethnicity In The Netherlands
The total population of the Netherlands is around 17,151,228 people. Seventy-six percent of the population is Dutch. The official and most extensively used language in the nation is Dutch. The province of Fryslan in this nation speaks Frisian as its official language.
The Roman Catholic faith is practiced by 23.4% of the population. The population is made up of 14.9% Protestant Christians. 5.1% of people worldwide practice Islam as their religion. Most Dutch citizens (50.7 percent) do not practice religion.
A major Dutch tradition is the celebration of Sinterklaas, a character based on Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. It is observed annually on December 5. The celebrations involve feasting and gift-giving.
Another Dutch custom is to give visitors who pay a mother and her newborn child a biscuit called beschuit met muisjes. On November 11, the Dutch also observed Saint Martin’s Day. Children visit neighbors’ doors on this day with torches and paper lanterns, singing and asking for snacks.
The Dutch Diet
The Netherlands’ location in the fertile North Sea delta impacts its cuisine. The Dutch cuisine has been influenced by farming, fishing, and international trade. With low reliance on meat and a wide variety of vegetables, the national cuisine can be characterized as “rustic” or basic.
Breakfast and lunch were generally served with bread and cheese. The entrée included potatoes, seasonal veggies, and meat.
The Dutch cuisine of today has undergone many modifications and has become more international. In the Netherlands, all of the major cities offer a variety of international cuisines. Dutch cheeses and pastries are well-known.
Netherlands’ Literature, Art, And Craft
There was no written Dutch literature until the end of the 11th century. Everything was spoken, primarily as poetry, folktales, and folklore.
The 12th century saw the development of Dutch written literature. In the beginning, most of the published literary works took the shape of love romances or biographies of the nobility. Later, literature was written from a middle-class perspective.
Parallel to this, Dutch religious literature also emerged. One of the most influential authors of the northern Renaissance was the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the beginning of political literature.
During this time, a well-known Dutch author named Eduard Douwes Dekker wrote. He achieved his greatest fame with a satirical book that exposed the wrongdoings of colonialism in the Dutch East Indies. Modern Dutch literature spans a wide range of genres.
The world has applauded Dutch art, and the nation has given birth to some of the greatest painters and artists ever. Paintings from the Golden Age dominate the history of Dutch art. It emerged in the 17th century and impacted all of Europe.
Two of the most well-known artists in the world are Dutch painter and printmaker Rembrandt and Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Van Gogh. These great artists’ creations are still on display in several museums and galleries spread all around the nation.
The Netherlands’ Performance Arts
The nation has various musical traditions, including folk, classical, and ballet. Levenslied is the name of the country’s traditional musical style, consisting of songs with a straightforward rhythm and melody based on amiable but sentimental topics.
The levenslied tune is played on the accordion and barrel organ. Modern Dutch rock and pop music are likewise quite well-liked in the nation. DJs from the Netherlands are among the best at playing electronic dance music.
One of the most significant dance events in the world honoring electronic music is the Amsterdam dance event. The cabaret style is also unique to the Dutch. In addition, the Dutch film industry is flourishing.
The Netherlands’ Sports
Dutch people play many sports. One of the many sports groups has about 4.5 million members enrolled. In the Netherlands, football is the most popular sport. Tennis, golf, gymnastics, volleyball, field hockey, and other marks are also quite popular.
Numerous local sports have also managed to endure over time. These include kolven, korfball, fierljeppen, and klootschieten. In both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, athletes from the Netherlands garnered significant medals.
Daily Life in Dutch Society
Although gender-based discrimination is still a significant issue in Dutch society, gender equality is guaranteed under the country’s legal system.
The situation can be described by traveling back in time to the time of the World War. The Netherlands did not fight in World War I; hence it did not lose a significant number of troops to the conflict.
While the men were fighting in the World Wars, women in other nations, such as England, took on the role of males in the home.
However, the Netherlands did not feel the need for such a rule. As a result, compared to other Western European nations, the country’s women took longer to enter labor.
In the Netherlands, love relationships are the primary foundation for marriage. However, selecting a partner is frequently based on class. Before getting married, cohabitation is typical. Dutch law also recognizes same-sex unions.
Although single-parent households are becoming more common, nuclear households still make up the majority of families in the nation.
Although men have traditionally held the position of primary authority in the home, this is changing as marital partners are increasingly treated equally.
One or two kids are in the average family in the nation. Small children are frequently left in a daycare facility until their parents return to homes where both parents work.
The Dutch social system discourages corporal punishment. The significance of education and the success of Dutch students are well acknowledged.