In cultural conversations about the Netherlands, the big cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam dominate- places defined by their urban energy, international connections and vibrant scenes. But there is more to the Netherlands than the Randstad. This article shifts the conversation away from overrepresented urban centres like Amsterdam and towards a lesser-known cultural region that defies the dominant media narrative about Dutch identity.
As someone who has lived in the Netherlands for over five years now, I still know surprisingly little about Friesland and its culture. But in my defence, I know remarkably little about all the other Dutch provinces as well. However, as I’ve moved from the vibrant and bustling city of Amsterdam to the much smaller university town of Groningen, I’ve come to learn a lot more about the differences between the north and south of the Netherlands. Still, it wasn’t until I started being around Frisian people that my eyes were opened to this whole new world of Friesland – a different Dutch culture and way of life, running parallel to the one I had previously known. A place where old-world traditions persist alongside modern Dutch life, resisting full integration into the Dutch mainstream.
I mean, sure, they all eat cheese and bread, the land is still flat, and they still cycle everywhere, it is still the Netherlands, of course, but the people of Friesland have really worked hard to preserve this little bubble and unique identity. They even have their own language! The more I talk to the Frisians in my life, the more I come to learn about this quirky province and its culture, and the more shocked I am at just how little I know about the vastness and variety of Dutch culture. Okay, granted, I did attend an international school and, coincidentally, socialised with almost exclusively other expats, but still, I was really naive to think that bicycles, tulips, and clogs were the extent of the country’s culture.
A proud (and very persistent) identity
One day in conversation with a Frisian person, it came up that he wouldn’t say he’s proud to be Dutch, but he would say he is proud to be Frisian. This, I found, was really strange. As someone from South Africa, sure, I am proud of the province I grew up in, but first and foremost, I am South African, so for him to disregard the country as being part of his identity and choose solely to be proud of his province, I found this very hard to understand.
Frisians are very proud to be Frisian. They are deeply proud of their heritage- and with good reason. The sense of being Frisian is more than a regional affiliation; it’s a cultural and historical identity that many feel supersedes their Dutch nationality. You’ll find this pride woven into daily life: in the Frisian flag that’s almost everywhere, the language spoken in cafés, and the names of streets and businesses. There’s even an official anthem, “De âlde Friezen,”.
This persistent identity isn’t about resisting the Netherlands as a country- Friesland is Dutch, after all – but rather about ensuring that Frisian culture remains visible, respected, and self-defined. It’s a form of cultural autonomy that doesn’t seek separation but insists on distinction.
A language that refuses to disappear
But what about Dutch? Well, Friesland is part of the Netherlands, so Dutch is a widely used language there. But still to this day, Frisian is also spoken. Now, as someone who barely knew of Friesland’s existence, imagine my surprise when I found out they even had their own language! Despite a shrinking number of native speakers, an estimated 48% of households in Friesland speak it at home, and it is still largely passed on to new generations, embedding this sense of pride in a whole new generation of Frisians. And many older Frisian people don’t even know Dutch, or at least refuse to use it, and forget the idea of them speaking English, so as an international (whose Dutch isn’t even that great), this is rather tricky.
Conclusion: Friesland’s legacy- Not just Dutch, but Frisian
In conversations about what defines the Netherlands, Friesland challenges the idea that “Dutchness” is a one-size-fits-all identity. It reminds us that the country is not just Amsterdam’s canals or Rotterdam’s skyline and that people in smaller Dutch towns carry their identity not as a relic of the past, but as a living, evolving culture. Friesland is part of the Netherlands, but it is also something more. It’s a testament to how regional identity can persist in a globalised world, and how a small province can quietly defy the gravity of the cultural centre, simply by continuing to be itself. Not just Dutch. Frisian.
Top five fun things I’ve learnt about Friesland:
1. “Molke” is milk in Frisian
2. Poiesz is a Frisian chain of grocery stores found in the north of the Netherlands.
3. Frisian horses are massive
4. Sugar bread is very tasty (and best eaten with butter)
5. The province is famous for its speed skaters, and when it’s cold enough, the province holds its traditional Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Tour), a 200-kilometre ice skating tour.