Netherlands Indigenous People
European Indigenous Peoples – The Frisians Of Holland
The Frisians are the indigenous people of the Netherlands. They have successfully fought for the right to maintain the Frisian language, spoken there for millennia.
The earliest records of indigneous Frisians inhabiting their land are from 700 BC. Up until at least the fifth century their tribal lands included the entire North Sea coast of Holland. In the eighth century they were annexed by the Frankish empire, and then won their independance again during the Middle Ages, spending the next 700 years as a unilingual and autonomous people. Then in 1579 Friesland was taken over by the United Dutch Republic, and Dutch language was introduced to replace Friesian.
However, many Frisians fought to maintain and reestablish their aboriginal language, and in 1993 Frisian became a mandated subject in primary schools and secondary schools in Friesland. Today both Dutch and Frisian languages are used in the community. Of 640 000 Fresians, almost three quarters are able to speak the language fluently.
The Frisian National Party (“Fryske Nasjonale Partij”) is currently fighting for autonomy for Friesland although they still only hold a minority of the vote in mainstream elections. There are also indigenous organizations fighting for autonomy and the protection of Frisian culture, language and land.
In 1998 the Netherlands signed the United Nations ILO Convention 169, and committed to supporting the development of the UN draft Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. The Frisian people are fortunate to have a colonial government who will support such things. In Australia and America we are less fortunate, and the loss of language and culture continues.
Today I asked a Dutch person what she thought of Frisian people. She said, "Stubborn."
