Resilience & Resistance

One of the exhibits located in the Tropenmuseum that focuses on the effects of racism.

Being abroad these two weeks has been an eye opening experience. Not only was I able to learn more about colonial Africa and how the Europeans not only played one of the biggest roles, but I was also able to physically see the monuments and artifacts. Seeing artifacts only because they were stolen and looted, puts into perspective how imperialist societies gained their control. This experience has also helped me realize that though whole groups of people have been colonized and put through horrible conditions, it is not their only narrative.

Learning of controls such as “gatekeeper states” enacted by European empires that have caused African countries to be in a vicious cycle of dependence has been especially difficult. Gatekeeper states refer to countries that are run by an authoritarian government that only wants its people to work for the sake of their economy and export resources. Gatekeeper states are only geared toward extraction for the benefit of the metropole, making them resource-rich but socially poor. It is wearisome knowing that certain African countries, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will most likely not be economically, politically, or even socially free anytime soon solely because of the European nations. Teaching people, especially future generations, about the effects of colonial rule will spark the need for change from people everywhere. 

It is very easy for the outside world to see oppressed people and feel that their only story is not being treated equally, when in reality that is not the case. Though indigenous groups of people from the Americas to the islands in the Pacific Ocean have been a victim of imperialism, either directly or indirectly, through it all they are resilient and refuse to comply with colonial rule.  

While at the Tropenmuseum, there were spaces to celebrate culture from the exhibition “Things That Matter.” Each box housed a different question, starting with “When is culture yours?” to “How do you create new life?” These questions allow for people, of all backgrounds, to really reflect on their culture and what is truly theirs. It can be difficult when imperialistic societies take not only artifacts and people from their colonies, but peoples’ cultures and traditions. People may rely on the help of gods and ancestors to create new and sustaining life and give them something to hold on to during times of uncertainty. During the time spent learning about colonial rule in Africa, it can be hard to remember that everyday people (like you and me) were affected and their lives lost. Also located in the Tropenmuseum, laid an interactive tablet that allowed the viewer to see and commemorate the names of all enslaved people in Dutch history– this included those from the Caribbean and Asia. More than just their names, they also show their social relationship in their community. 

 In the Rijksmuseum, there is an oil painting of an Indonesian artist, Trubus Soedarsono, mother. Though the painting captures her wearing a concerned look, she also glints hope for Indonesia. His mother also is seen wearing a pin of the red and white flag of Indonesia that holds the meaning of “solidarity… and dedication.” Colonists not only used violence to acquire land and labor, but they stripped people away of their culture and religion. When people are robbed of everything, still having small things such as names, hairstyles, and language allows for unity. Rituals, customs, and other (what may seem minuscule to outsiders) details can bring people of the same ethnic group together despite all of the violence that has been endured. 

The portrait of Turbus Soedarsono’s mother, locate in the Rijksmuseum.

Along with the resilience of colonized groups of people, there is resistance. During the colonization of Africa, there were different forms of resistance taking place. This included military resistance, everyday resistance (in the form of sabotage and absenteeism from work), and ideological resistance. One of the more powerful forms, in my opinion, to defy oppressors is ideological and intellectual resistance through literature and art. Pan-Africanism, the celebration of African achievement, is a popular form of ideological resistance. 

“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery” 

~ Bob Marley

Pan-Africanism dates back to the 19th century originating as “Ethiopianism” due to the frustration of European discrimination and racist ideology. Later in the 20th century the main leaders of the Pan-Africanism movement were Marcus Garvey and W.E.B DuBois. Garvey realized that the majority of the Black population had similar experiences when it came to discrimination. With influences of earlier Pan-Africanist leaders, founded the Universal Negro Improvement Society (UNIA) in 1914 in Jamacia and later founded the newspaper Negro World in 1918 in the U.S. He gained followers mainly because of his avocation to return to Africa, the establishment of buying from black-owned businesses (something we still see and do today), and promoting of African pride(Laumann 2013). 

“The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.” 

~ Marcus Garvey

DuBois, founder of the National Association for the Advance of Colored People (NAACP), was an activist and author with one of his most famous books being The Souls of Black Folks. DuBois felt that colonialism and oppression were direct results of capitalism (Laumann 2013) and from my time abroad and time spent learning about colonial Africa, I don’t disagree. Africans were exploited and dispersed for the demands of European commodities that have now become global demands, from the sugar plantations that were in the Caribbean to Cobalt mines in the Congo. The goal of Pan-Africanism is to unite all and to celebrate Africa and the diaspora, and unity is a result of resilience and resistance. 

This is a map that shows the African Diaspora. This is all due to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade that dispersed more than 12 million Africans, with majority going to the Caribbean and South America.

I am beyond grateful for my time spent in Belgium and the Netherlands soaking up information, new places, and different cultures. Knowledge is power and with that, I have taken away that if imperialist societies took the time to thoroughly educate their citizens, the narrative of both the colonizer and colonies would drastically change. 

Resources:

Adamek, Tayo. 2018. The African Diaspora. Map. BYTE Youth https://www.yukonyouth.com/the-african-diaspora-what-is-it/

Laumann, Denise. Colonial Africa. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013

“Banking Reimagined”

The beginning of the exhibit “Our Colonial Inheritance” that invites its viewers to reflect on what it means to them.

During this two week abroad section of the course, three of the days were going to be spent in Amsterdam. While here, we will be visiting the Tropenmuseum and the Rijksmuseum as a way to reflect on the role that the Dutch played in the making of the modern, global capitalist system and how they battle with a past based on imperialism. 

“Colonialism is not a thing of the past. It has shaped the world: our physical, mental and personal world. Colonialism lives on to this day.” 

~ The Tropenmuseum on the “Our Cultural Inheritance” exhibit

Our visit to the Tropenmuseum was on the 19th. We focused mainly on the exhibit of “Our Cultural Inheritance.” Prior to us exploring the museum, our attention was directed to the point that colonists studied anthropology(study of human societies and cultures), ethnology(study of ethnic groups), and even linguistics from African colonies that the Dutch owned in the building the museum is in today. During these times of studying different cultures, words such as “tribe” were constructed with the intent of belittling African communities because of the animalistic connotation that is associated with the word. Turning the building into the museum is a small detail that plays a critical role because it already highlights the way the Dutch have grappled with their imperialist past as opposed to the Belgians and rewriting a narrative of cultures that have been deeply affected by colonialism. 

Throughout the “Our Cultural Inheritance” exhibit, they had two excerpts about the museum’s position on colonialism. They acknowledge that colonialism has shaped the world, and how The Netherlands has a hand in colonialism filled with “domination, oppression, and exploitation.” Similarly to the Africa Museum, the Tropenmuseum recognizes their artifacts were acquired during the colonial period. Unlike the Africa Museum, the Tropenmuseum “is actively doing research to clarify the provenance of its collection,” and explained to the viewer that “for centuries, Europe’s riches came at the expense of the freedom, wealth, and wellbeing of many people.” The Tropenmuseum uses “Our Colonial Inheritance,” to reflect on how colonialism affects us today. 

Longcase clock that can play up to fourteen melodies. On either side of the center, one can see the enslaved African figurines.

The Rijksmuseum, which means “State Museum,” holds art focused on Dutch history. While spending numerous hours there, going into different exhibits with paintings and artifacts from the 16th through the 20th century, certain things stood out. A longcase clock contained two black figurines at the top that were dressed in skirts made out of tobacco leaves with gold bands tied around their necks, referencing slavery and plantations. The caption that coincides with the artifact states that “they [the figures] are depicted in a stereotypical way…” Using words such as “stereotypical” in a caption describing something with a deep and rich history is vital because it shows that the museum is trying to fix the narrative that the Dutch, and other European countries, have depicted of Africans. In other paintings, there are merchants depicted with their “enslaved servants.” This shows that the Dutch acknowledged that enslaved African people helped them. Another example would be the painting “Landscape in Brazil.” The painting is of a beautiful scenery that captures greenery, water, animals, and of a clear sky. The caption describes the painting as being made because of the Dutch West India Company (WIC) conquering parts of Brazil. It also goes on to say that, “The Dutch [took] over the profitable sugar production…Enslaved Africans work[ed] under wretched conditions. What is presented as an idyll to the Dutch, is actually a hellish reality for them.” Along with using different diction to describe enslaved Africans, the Rijksmuseum has also gone a step further with restitution. They have made a small exhibit dedicated to Sri Lanka. Next to a case of swords and guns, the caption states that the Dutch government, as of July 6th, 2023, will be giving back six objects to Sri Lanka that were taken during the invasion of Kandy in 1765, by the end of this year.

Compared to the Belgians, the Dutch and their government are holding themselves more accountable for things done during the colonial period. The Dutch have been trying to decolonize spaces since 2007, when the Van Heutsz monument was nullified and in 2017 and 2018 two institutions changed their name from veterans of the East Indies Army to victims of the Dutch East Indies (Goddeeris, 2020). 

The neon sign is a piece of artwork itself. Claire Fontaine was inspired to make this that stems from graffiti art she found in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans was a finical center that the Dutch contributed to during slavery.

“J.P. Morgan estimated that the two banks ‘accepted approximately 13,000 enslaved individuals as collateral and that the banks came to own approximately 1,250 enslaved individuals as a result’ of defaults. The disclosure did not make clear what happened to those individuals.”

~ The Washington Post “J.P. Morgan Discloses Past Links To Slavery”

To reiterate that we, imperialist societies, still benefit from colonialism today one example would be banks. The history of banks has a deep and dark rooted history in colonialism, one of them being J.P. Morgan Chase, the world’s largest bank. In the exhibit, there is a replica of a Chase bank ATM receipt on a tapestry. The reason for having the receipt on a tapestry instead of traditional artwork such as biblical, mythological, and historical stories, is to demonstrate how much of a role Chase has played in driving slavery and colonialism. Part of J.P. Morgan Chase’s job in the 19th century was using “enslaved people as collateral on loans made to plantation owners in the South.” 

This woven tapestry is a replica of a J.P. Morgan Chase receipt.

In Amsterdam during the 1700s and 1800s, the Dutch became financially powerful due to merchant banks and insurance companies. Dutch wealth contributed overseas and to plantation bonds and during the peak of slavery, 1770, the slave trade contributed 10% of the Gross Domestic Production (GPD). Even today, the Tropenmuseum benefited from the bank of Hope&Co. due to the original owner’s home being the original Colonial Museum and the Dutch-Indonesian banks being some of the founders. 

This is from Locke’s “Share” collection. The drawing is on a West India Sugar Corporation stock paper.
This is a part of the “Song of the South” series by Hew Locke.

Hew Locke, who is a British artist of Guyana descent, has chosen to take back corporate stock documents by making them the background for symbolic figures that represent ethnic groups affected by companies that used these stocks. His work titled, “Share,” is a great example of letting artists take back something that was once oppressive. Another example is the work by Joscelyn Gardner, “Creole Portraits III: Bringing down the flowers…” Gardner draws three portraits with intricately braided hair with collars decorated with plants. The collars were used against enslaved women who attempted to abort their children, which was seen as the ultimate act of resistance against slavery. Though not mentioned in the caption, braided hair holds significance in itself. It not only allowed for enslaved people to communicate with each other and plan escape routes, but it also was a symbol of defiance. 

Being in Amsterdam let us witness the difference in how two countries contend with a dark past and how they choose to either face it head on or ignore it.

The “Creole Portraits III: Bringing down the flowers…” by Joscelyn Gardner

Resources:

Goddeeris, Idesbald. “Mapping the Colonial Past in the Public Space.” KHNG. Volume 135-1. 2020: 70-94.

Remnants of Colonization

Statue of King Leopold II out front of the side of the Royal Palace.

During our time in Belgium, thinking critically of the spaces we are in is vital. Visiting cities and viewing statues, museums, and parks that contain a direct link with the past shows how Belgians view the it. Do they decide to face it head on or act as if it doesn’t exist?

On July 11th, our class was able to take a guided tour of Brussels where we were able to think freely and analytically about the city. We were able to see that our tour guide had a completely different outlook about King Leopold II compared to the tour guide we had in Leuven. He invited us to take in the sites we visited through a lens of decolonization of the mind, space, and history. The decolonization of space refers to how people keep statues of important figures like King Leopold II in public spaces. Taking these statues down would be acts of mental decolonization(also space) because of the power the statues have.​​

Later we stopped to see the King Leopold II statue that still had remnants of red paint from people who have tried to deface the monument (reference picture below). Defacing statues were sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement that happened in the United States in 2020. Some Belgians, and those of Congolese descent, feel that the statues should be taken down because the statues tell a story of power and prestige that came from the hands and blood of the Congolese. This prompted a debate within our group about what should be done with a statue of a man who was responsible for depleting half of The Congo’s population.

Viewers can still see paint leftover from when people were protesting.

This was the same for two other statues around the city: Émile Storms and Godfrey Bouillon. Storms was responsible for the colonization of East Congo and was known for exhibiting heads of those he killed around his palace; Godfried Bouillon, who Leopold II idolized, was also responsible for bloodshed during the crusades against Muslims in Jerusalem, yet his statue remains standing(reference picture below). It is the government’s decision to erect and keep these statues.

Godefroy Bouillon’s statue on his horse in front of the Palace of Brussels.
This is where Emile Storm’s statue stood erect in Square de Meeûs. located in Brussels, Belgium

Keeping statues that represent horrid events does not inform anyone of the atrocities that occurred, however they do display the power that these figures still hold with regard to the Belgian national narrative.

In stark contrast, a statue of a mother and her baby that stand in the main center of Matonge (an African neighborhood in Brussels) created out of bullet casings. By using the bullet casings it disrupts and portrays a counter-narrative of the violence brought by these same kinds of figures. These types of art such as these should replace or be placed in conversation with statues of men who were responsible for genocides and mass murders as a way to memorialize lives that were lost. 

“As recently as 2018, the skulls of 50 people of Congolese origin from the colonial period were found in the laboratory of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), which they subsequently agreed to return.”

~Ioana Plesea, “Colonial human remains should be returned, not put on display.”
The Royal Museum for Central Africa, once property of King Leopold II.

In addition to viewing the decolonization of space, history, and the mind on the 12th, we took a bus to The Royal Museum for Central Africa located in Tuerven, about twenty minutes away from Leuven. The Africa Museum dates back to 1897 and was formerly known as the “Colonial Palace,” where King Leopold II would display artifacts from Africa that Stanley brought back—including people. This was notorious for having human zoos, where 267 Congolese people –men, women, and children– were taken to perform for the Belgians (Kakissi 2018). They would dress up in degrading clothing and roleplay an “everyday life.” After an unpaid day’s work, the Congolese workers would change back into their clothes and sleep in a nearby hostel. Watchers would throw candy to them and when it caused the Congolese to become sick, a sign was hung up that read “The blacks are fed by the organizing committee” (this is very similar to signs placed around animal zoos that say “Don’t feed the animals”). In addition to candy being thrown at the Congolese, Europeans would throw peanuts and bananas which were accompanied by them making monkey noises (Kakissi 2018). This enforces prejudice thinking that Black people are savages, animals, and uncivilized. The last human zoo closed in 1958, which was only 65 years ago meaning that children who were forced into this could still be alive, along with their story.

This photo contains the people who were a part of the ‘Human Zoos.’ One can see the houses or “huts” that the Congolese were made to temporarily live in located in the background.

When visiting the museum we needed to keep a couple of things in mind. One, how does the museum feel about decolonization, and two, how do they feel about the destruction of the Congo and how do they answer these questions by things around the museum? The museum was remodeled in 2018 to rethink the way the artifacts were on display before. One of the first things one sees when walking into the museum is a sign that describes how artifacts were obtained during the colonial period (when all of this violence was occurring) and some are categorized as “looted cultural property” (which means stolen). A museum should be a place of knowledge and learning with zero bias, yet the Africa Museum has a narrative that it is trying to tell. On one hand, keeping the original artifacts that Leopold ordered to be stolen is going against the museum’s mission of “present[ing] a… decolonized vision of Africa”(Africa Museum). The museum has things such as feedback boxes and places where citizens can upload documents, pictures, and correct information that is on display. Tools such as these are great ways for the museum to be open to change, but there aren’t ways to see if the museum has made these changes, aside from the remodel.

Feedback box that reads “A lot of objects from Congo are kept and displayed here, in this Belgian museum. How do you feel about that?”
This was the sign stated in the beginning of the museum.

Throughout the museum, there are empty slots that used to hold very racist depictions of African people, these were taken down. In one of the very first areas of the museum is a room secluded to the side with an exhibit titled “Sculptures Store Away.” The main and most powerful structure was the Leopard Man, who is seen standing over a man. This statue resulted in rumors about there being murders targeting innocent people happening in the Congo by men dressed in a leopard costume with claws. Representation of the Congolese as “savages” and even murders has played into stereotypes today and is still something that Black people battle against in social situations and in the media. Having something like this in a place where people are learning about the Congolese is very detrimental in the sense of the narrative its is construing that Black people are untamed and dangerous, especially because the Leopard Man was on main display until 2013. Having an exhibit where there are hurtful statues, such as the Leopard Man, or of people who played a role in the colonization of the Congo can be very controversial. On one hand there is an interactive aspect where one can read about each statue that is there and is very informative. But, at the same time why keep them? Why allow for people, especially those of African descent, to be reminded of the oppression and colonization that still affect people today.

This political cartoon depicts two groups being in a tug of war with the Leopard Man. On the left, are museum workers who still want the sculpture up and on the right are the Congolese.

“The museum therefore explicitly distances itself from [colonialism]. It takes responsibility for the impact that its previous propaganda for colonialism has had on the multicultural society of today, and for the message of Western moral and intellectual superiority it has conveyed in the past.”

– Royal Museum for Central Africa
The caption reads “The muscular and highly sexed African male of European fantasy is emasculated in [Arthur] Dupagne’s sculpture. Aimé Mpane calls for these stereotypes to be discarded once and for all.”

In the rotunda of the museum, an ivory bust of Leopold once sat in the middle of the palace but has now been replaced with Congolese artist’s, Aimé Mpane, sculptures. His work, titled New Breath, is centered around creating an optimistic and celebratory future of the Congo using the Congolese people as a muse with the hopes of giving Africans a “central place” in the museum. With removing Leopold’s bust and adding the two new sculptures it shifts the power to the Congolese, ultimately now giving them a voice. The head on the right is made of bronze and is a direct correlation to a magnificent future. Across is a sculpture that represents the skull of Chief Lusinga. The head was taken as a war trophy by Storms and was in the RMCA (Royal Museum for Central Africa) until 1964 “and it currently still is in the storage of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences” (The Brussels Times 2023). The ivory bust of Leopold is still in the museum but is now sitting behind glass with other ivory artifacts. Surrounding the new sculptures are old statues that tell one story but are now covered by pictures of a rewritten narrative. By looking closely, I was able to notice that all of the old sculptures were created by Belgians, but the new illustrations were made by Congolese. This is a great example of giving voice to oppressed people and allowing for their art to be on display to recast their own story about their ancestors, who weren’t given the chance.

A view of the rotunda where “New Breath” is located and where Leopold’s statue once was.

Resources:

“History and Renovation.” Royal Museum for Central Africa. Accessed 16 Jul 2023. https://www.africamuseum.be/en/about_us/history_renovation. 

Kakissis, Joanna. “Where ‘Human Zoos’ Once Stood A Belgian Museum Now Faces Its Colonial Past.” NPR. Accessed 16 Jul 2023. https://www.npr.org/2018/09/26/649600217/where-human-zoos-once-stood-a-belgian-museum-now-faces-its-colonial-past 

Plesea, Ioana. “Colonial human remains should be returned, not put on display.” Accessed 16 Jul 2023. https://www.brusselstimes.com/432812/colonial-human-remains-should-be-returned-not-put-on-display 

Colonialism in Everyday Life

With this being my first time in Europe, I was very excited but at the same time anxious. As a black woman, moving around in different spaces can be, at times, nerve wracking. As I was preparing for my trip my mother expressed how I was not able to do “get away,” with the same actions as my white peers. This was something that was in the back of my mind as I packed, did my hair, and moved throughout airports. Though being Black in America comes with its own set of issues– microaggressions, acts of discrimination– it is hard knowing that people even in other countries can act the same way, if not worse, especially since I am also a foreigner. Nonetheless, moving throughout the country has been very smooth. 

Prior to traveling to Leuven, Belgium, my class was instructed to watch King Leopold’s Ghost. Throughout the film, the viewer was informed of everything that King Leopold II did from the deception of the media to the violence he indirectly caused. Learning about the exploitation of the Congolese, can only make one reflect how everyone truly still benefits from colonialism. In connection to King Leopold II, the Congolese were forced to mine and collect rubber. If they were not able to reach a quota, their hands were cut off and even the women of the working men were raped. These acts of violence were not uncommon. The Chicote, pronounced “Chee-coat-tee,” was a physical object that inflicted, not only physical violence, but psychological (King Leopold’s Ghost, 2006). People who were whipped with the Chicote showed their peers what could happen to them as well. Today, Congolese miners are responsible for 80% of coltan, which is one of the main pieces for phones and laptops (Feick). Until now, people all over the world are benefiting from hundreds of years of colonization.

Every time I learn more about the tragedies of the Congolese people, I feel more and more guilty that I am able to reap the benefits of their hard labor, but they never will. I always find it interesting how countries grapple with a past filled with violence and colonialism. For example, the United States had only recently had more in depth conversations about the raw history of our hand in slavery, imperialism, and racism that infiltrates our culture. And with that, the majority of Americans are more aware and actually acknowledge the violence their forefathers caused. Germans are aware and have held themselves accountable for the atrocities that the Nazis caused during WWII. In an NPR article it stated, that “Germany will pay more than $1.4 billion next year to survivors of Nazi atrocities (Chappell, 2023).” On the other hand, Belgians do not acknowledge the heinous acts of violence done to the Congolese by King Leopold II.

It is a privilege to not have to acknowledge one’s country’s wrongdoings. During our guided tour of Leuven, when asked about what was taught in schools about King Leopold II, our tour guide seemed very hesitant about how she answered the question. She was very slow to talk about The Congo as well and only said they were taught that he was a great king and “gifted” The Congo to Belgium. Similar to what Americans did in 2019 with the removal of Confederate soldiers and generals, the statue of Leopold was removed from Leuven’s Town Hall (reference picture below). Meanwhile, The Congolese have no other choice but to be aware of the things that the Belgians did because they are still dealing with the physical, psychological, and environmental harm of exploitation and cheap labor. 

This is Leuven’s embellished town hall where King Leopold II has been removed from.

Overall, learning about colonization and decolonization has opened my eyes to see that it is in every aspect of life as we know it. Colonialism affects everyone to this day and those of us who reside in imperialist countries still benefit from it in some way or another– whether that be someone’s cheap labor or laws that were set in place. It is our job to recognize that and make changes little by little.

Resources:

Rees, Oreet, director. King Leopold’s Ghost. Linden Productions, 2006.1 hr., 48 min.

Chappell, Bill. “Germany will pay more than $1.4 billion next year to survivors of Nazi atrocities. NPR. Accessed 10 Jul, 2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/06/15/1182428154/germany-holocaust-survivors-payment-1-4-billion-nazi-victims 

Feick, Kathy. “Coltan.” University of Waterloo. Accessed 10 Jul 2023. https://uwaterloo.ca/earth-sciences-museum/resources/detailed-rocks-and-minerals-articles/coltan#:~:text=Mining%20in%20Congo%3A,by%20hand%20in%20the%20Congo.