On Saturday it will be exactly 150 years ago that slavery in Suriname also ended in practice. A year of commemoration around the Dutch slavery past will also begin. A selection of how our country will reflect on the end of slavery this weekend.
Slavery committees across the country organize commemorations and celebrations. The most striking is that by the National Institute of the Dutch Slavery Past and Legacy (NiNsee). King Willem-Alexander, among others, is present there. He will also speak. The commemoration can be followed live on NPO1 on Saturday from 1.30 pm.
Before and after the commemoration, the Keti Koti Festival on Amsterdam’s Museumplein celebrates the end of slavery in Suriname and the Caribbean part of the kingdom.
Many local committees commemorate the end of the Dutch transatlantic slavery past on Friday and celebrate it the day after. A bit like 4 and 5 May the Second World War is commemorated.
So is Keti Koti Almere. On Friday, the Flevoland slavery committee will unveil a slavery monument in Almere during the commemoration ceremony. Saturday Keti Koti Almere celebrates, among other things, a Prodo Waka (promloop) with various cultures in traditional costumes. Everyone can participate in it.
The commemoration by Stichting Committee 30 June-1 July Fryslân will include spoken word on Friday. The next day everyone can celebrate freedom to the music of a brass band in Leeuwarden.
There are various meetings in the Netherlands to bring people into contact with each other on the theme of slavery. This is often accompanied by good food.
An example is Free Heri Heri. In addition, people in many places in the country, such as in Zutphen, Groningen and Maastricht, can eat a plate of Heri Heri for free. That dish originated from what remained on Surinamese plantations and was grown and eaten by enslaved people.
Keti Koti Dialogue Table also brings people across the country into conversation through food about the slavery past and its impact on the present. This is possible on Friday in Dordrecht, for example. The following day in The Hague and Amsterdam, among others.
Afran Groenewoud is a reporter on society and inclusion
Afran writes about inequality in society and colonial history. Read more stories from Afran here.
There are more municipalities that do something special with Ketikoti. In Delft you can participate in a memorial parade on Saturday. In Diemen you can participate in an inclusion dinner.
The municipality of Utrecht will unveil a local slavery monument on Friday. Then the municipality of Waalwijk will show the film ‘Tula; the revolt’ about the revolt of enslaved people in Curaçao. Tula was one of their leaders.
Den Bosch commemorates the past of slavery on Saturday, among other things with a libation. Someone from the Bosch Caribbean community ritually pours out a liquid in commemoration of the enslaved people. And through Amersfoort Unleashed! that Utrecht municipality kicks off a commemorative year.
The municipality of Amsterdam will exceptionally raise the flags of the Netherlands, Suriname and the former Netherlands Antilles on Saturday. This is special because it is not an official holiday or memorial day. Prior to the national commemoration, the flags are flown at half-mast. Then they go in the top of the flagpole until sunset.
Places where the Netherlands practiced slavery also reflect on the slavery past. Chairman Johan Roozer of the Surinamese National Commemoration of Slavery History Committee tells NU.nl that a memorial concert will be held in Paramaribo on Saturday.
On Bonaire, interested parties can watch films and a theater performance by young people about slavery on Saturday. Minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Housing and Spatial Planning) is present on behalf of the cabinet at the commemoration on the island. Fellow cabinet members are doing the same in other places where it is commemorated that the Netherlands used slavery in former colonies.
Some people take their own initiative off the beaten track in commemoration. In Vlissingen, for example, a monument commemorating slavery has been on display since the night from Thursday to Friday. But the city council voted against it in 2021.
Chairman of Keti Koti Zeeland Angélique Duijndam placed the monument together with artist Zeus Hoender. “2021 is two years ago,” she explains to NU.nl why. “In April of this year, the municipality decided to apologize for the slavery past. Then we must now do something instead of just talking. Especially now.”
2023-06-30 18:03:16
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