Pieter Haringsma: Town Crier and Ambassador for Sloten

His sonorous, dark voice has been heard in Sloten for almost 20 years. Dressed in a fabulous 17th century costume, town crier Pieter Haringsma (58) has become an icon. He is the announcer of important events to the local population in his own, unique way. But above all he likes to guide tour groups along the streets of this monumental Gaasterland town.

This striking personality from Sloten first entered the limelight when he was asked to be the town crier during the 700th anniversary celebrations of Sloten having been granted privileges of a town. The festivities, organised by local shopkeepers and the then municipality of Sloten, lasted one full year. His performance was so successful that he was asked to stay on as a town crier; an opportunity Haringsma seized with both hands.

“I love to tell others about our history”, Haringsma explains. Like every other resident, he is proud to be living in this pleasant old town.

“It is the pearl of the Frisian ‘Eleven Towns’, where much of the olden days has been kept alive.” And even though his town crier job is keeping him very busy in summer, time and time again he will passionately tell the story of “his” town.

Always on the job The fact that during all those years he has never been on holiday in summer shows that he is taking his job of “ambassador for Sloten” seriously. And he has never missed a performance of the civic guard, who always fire a canon for tourists on Friday nights in summer. Even sickness has not been able to keep him at home. About his commitment he says in a down-to-earth way: “I was in for a penny, now I am in for a pound.” Haringsma always calls a spade a spade, especially as far as politicians or prominent regional residents are concerned. “I won’t call a spade a shovel”, he smiles. “Although I am careful not to offend anyone, of course.”

Almost as famous as the Pope

As a former Dutch champion (seven times in a row), Haringsma is getting invitations for acting as a town crier from all over the country. On such occasions he meets with all kinds of people, including national personalities. He smiles when he recalls the meeting with former Queen’s Commissioner Hans Wiegel when the latter was visiting the ‘monuments day’ in Balk. Completely ignoring the waiting members of the District Council he made a beeline for Haringsma, saying, “Pieter, great to see you here!” The memory makes him smile. “Yes, that was a priceless moment.”