1978 VTG RECORD ALBUM HOLLAND KOOR ROB VAN DIJK + VOLENDAM IN ISRAEL DUTCH CHOIR

 

The Dutch people:  Nederlanders are the dominant ethnic group of the Netherlands. They share a common culture, speaking the Dutch language and being of Dutch descent.

Dutch people, or descendants of Dutch people, are also found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States.

The traditional art and culture of the Dutch encompasses various forms of traditional music, dances, architectural styles and clothing, some of which are globally recognizable. Internationally, Dutch painters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and van Gogh are held in high regard.

Historically, the Dutch were among the most religious peoples of Europe, forming an important driving force behind the spread of the reformation Today, the dominant religion of the Dutch is still Christianity (both Catholic and Protestant), although in modern times the majority is no longer openly religious. Significant percentages of the Dutch are adherents of humanism, agnosticism, atheism or individual spirituality.

Though always being relatively autonomous within the system of European feudalism, it was only in the 16th century that a Dutch state, the Dutch Republic, became de facto independent. The high degree of urbanization characteristic of Dutch society was attained at a relatively early age. During the Republic the first series of large scale Dutch migrations outside of Europe took place.

The absence of most natural riches in the region traditionally inhabited by the Dutch, led to a trade-oriented, and trade-dependent, society. Positioned among some of the most important rivers of Western Europe and near the sea, Dutch cities dominated European and even world trade for several centuries; lending the Dutch themselves a reputation for being excellent merchants, and, at times, even being synonomous with the word itself.

History
Emergence
As with all ethnic groups the ethnogenesis of the Dutch (and their predecessors) has been a lengthy and complex process. Though the majority of the defining characteristics (such as language, religion, architecture or cuisine) of the Dutch ethnic group have accumulated over the ages, it is difficult (if not impossible) to clearly pinpoint the exact emergence of the Dutch people; the interpretation of which is often highly personal. To provide some structure, this article distinguishes between three concepts; "ethnic categories", "ethnic networks" and "ethnic communities", these will be explained in each section.

The text below hence focuses on the history of the Dutch ethnic group; for Dutch national history, please see the history-articles of the Netherlands and Belgium respectively. For Dutch colonial history, see the article on the Dutch Empire.