Hidden Connections

Why do we know so little about what happened on the plantations in the former Dutch East Indies? The horrific history of contract labor in Deli on Sumatra, which forced people to work for Western entrepreneurs, appears to have been covered up. This also means that the stories of resistance, which did indeed exist, were often not recorded but only passed on orally. This deliberate oppression and denial of the plantation workers and their experiences is still palpable. In the multi-year research project Hidden Connections, the Van Abbemuseum unravels its own origins in this colonial past. From March 2, 2024, the museum will present the results in an exhibition, podcast and heritage platform.