Dutch/Netherland Culture

Dutch/Netherland Culture
For my presentation I opted to research the Dutch/Netherland culture. The “Dutch” stemmed originally from both German and the Netherlands but in the 17th century it became restricted to the people in the Netherlands. For centuries the Netherlands has been a safe haven for ethnic minorities fleeing from discrimination and persecution, with each minority influenceing dutch culture in its own way. The Netherlands does not have a strong uniform national culture. Most Dutch people reject the notion and consider it to be tainted with an unacceptable form of nationalism. Instead, they emphasize the country's cultural diversity, tolerance of difference, and receptiveness to foreign influences. The Netherlands is situated in northwestern Europe and borders on Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North sea to the west and north. The name "Netherlands" means "Low Lands." The Netherlands is divided in twelve provinces. With Amsterdam being the capital as well as the most densely populated.
The official language of the Netherlands is Standard Dutch. This language is used in all official matters, by the media, and at schools and universities. Dutch closely resembles German in both syntax and spelling. It freely borrows words and technical terms from French and especially English. There is not much debate about racism or ethnic discrimination among the Dutch people

The Dutch have a desire for spatial organization that is informed by Calvinist assumptions about order as a synonym for cleanliness and sinlessness. but it also reflects the Dutch desire for order and uniformity

The Netherlands does not have a distinct culinary culture because of its Protestant ethnic and the absence of a strong culinary tradition at the court due to an emphasis on Calvinist soberness. Food is seen as a necessary part of life, with no need for luxury. Traditional foods include pea soup, kale stew, hotchpotch (a thick stew), white asparagus, French fries...