{"id":130880,"date":"2024-04-15T15:24:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T13:24:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/130880-bonaire-un-passe-desclavage-un-present-dinegalites-sociales.html"},"modified":"2024-05-06T17:06:07","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T15:06:07","slug":"bonaire-a-history-of-slavery-a-present-of-social-inequalities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/en\/130880-bonaire-a-history-of-slavery-a-present-of-social-inequalities.html","title":{"rendered":"Bonaire: a history of slavery, a present of social inequalities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><strong>Bonaire, a Caribbean island within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, features pristine beaches, vibrant diving spots, and a bustling tourist scene. However, behind its beauty lies a tumultuous history marked by slavery and violence and a contemporary landscape characterized by persistent inequalities. Scholar Anne van Mourik sees through the blinding sun.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>The plaque stands adjacent to the \u2018slave cabins\u2019 (kasnan di katibu, in Papiamentu, the local language on Bonaire\u2019s island), shelters for enslaved individuals built from 1850 to 1863 as lip service to those criticising the living conditions of slaves. It depicts enslaved laborers toiling in the saltpans \u2013 vast, pink-hued pools where seawater evaporated, leaving behind crystallized salt. And it bears the following inscription:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCaptains on the salt exporting ships would describe the beauty of the island, the colourful salt ponds, blazing sunsets with pink flying flamingos and the singing women who looked like mermaids carrying the salt for the ships anchored off shore. (\u2026) These women indeed looked like mermaids from the sea. Their working-song, which later became a lullaby sung to children of the island, told their story. It starts with \u2018Man pa makut\u2019I Maria\u2019 translated as \u2018Give a hand to the basket of Maria\u2019.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plaque presents a captain's dreamy perspective of the island's beauty, with a notable emphasis on mystical portrayals of women's labour. But in a time where the Netherlands likes to stress its commitment to human rights and has expressed the desire for reckonings with its colonial pasts, accentuated by the Dutch king's apology for the country's historical involvement in slavery in July 2023, the depiction of the \u2018slave cabins\u2019 on Bonaire seems peculiar. While discussions about the treatment of colonial-era monuments, plaques, and statues are prevalent in the Netherlands, at first sight they seem notably absent in this \u2018special municipality\u2019 within the Kingdom, some 7,796 kilometres away from Amsterdam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plaque's portrayal of history near the \u2018slave cabins\u2019 reads like a romanticized story rather than a historically responsible reflection. It does not acknowledge essential elements of the enslaved individuals\u2019 history, such as their origins and the harsh conditions of their enslavement. It doesn\u2019t recognize the Dutch role in Atlantic slavery, and the wealth it brought to Dutch economy. Frans Booi, the Bonairian writer responsible for the plaque\u2019s text, may have aimed for a creative touch, but the absence of such information contributes to obfuscating this crucial part of history.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-salt-slavery-and-struggle\"><strong>Salt, slavery and struggle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially under Spanish rule in the early 16<sup>th<\/sup> century before the Dutch forcibly took control in 1636, the island has remained a Dutch colony until 1954 - except for a brief British occupation in the early 19<sup>th<\/sup> century. Since then, it has functioned as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and since 2010, it has held the status of a 'special municipality'.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the 17<sup>th<\/sup> to the 19<sup>th<\/sup> centuries, Bonaire's economy was largely centred on solar salt production, with saltworks dispersed along its coastline, especially in the southern regions. Enslaved Africans and their forced labour played a central role in Bonaire's salt industry. Most of the enslaved people on the island were \u2018owned\u2019 by the island\u2019s Dutch government. They worked on the saltpans, all located at the southern end of the island: the Rode Pan (Red Pan) the Blauwe Pan (Blue Pan), the Witte Pan (White Pan), and the Oranje Pan (Orange Pan), corresponding with the colours of the Dutch flag and its pennant. Archaeologists Ruud Stelten and Konrad A. Antczak <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10761-022-00660-9\">argue<\/a> that in 1863, when slavery was abolished, 758 enslaved individuals gained their freedom, 607 of whom had been considered the government\u2019s property. Many of them remained working at these saltpans as paid laborers, sometimes under circumstances of coercion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1199\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/plaque.png\" alt=\"Photo of a plaque in Bonaire recalling the slave-owning past.\" class=\"wp-image-130974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/plaque.png 1199w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/plaque-1000x706.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/plaque-1110x783.png 1110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1199px) 100vw, 1199px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The plaque near the White Salt Pan on Bonaire island: outdated terms that keep the slave-owning past whitewashed. Photo: Anne van Mourik<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Working in the saltpans was incredibly tough. As the seawater evaporated, it left behind a thick layer of sea salt that had to be broken up using pickaxes and other tools. Workers then carried the salt further onto the beach in heavy bags or containers, under the blazing Caribbean sun. Reports from 1854 show that many of the workers in the saltpans suffered from \u2018salt wounds\u2019 and scurvy, which were caused by the harsh conditions they endured. The intense heat and blinding reflection of the sun's rays often led to salt blindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-avoiding-history\"><strong>Avoiding history<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The plaque near the \u2018slave cabins\u2019, which is situated near the Oranje Pan, exemplifies the broader lack of historical context provided at significant locations across the island. Another plaque next to similar \u2018slave cabins\u2019, situated near the White Salt Pan, offers scant information. It explains how the cabins were built \u201cduring the slave time and served as camping facilities for the slaves\u201d. \u201cSlave time\u201d suggests that slavery was only natural at the time, as if people didn\u2019t question the inhumane living and labouring conditions even then. The description does not acknowledge the identity of the enslaved and agency of the enslaver, nor the harsh labour regimes. These outdated terms uphold the whitewashing of this past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A plaque at the Blauwe Pan states that \u201calthough salt production on Bonaire has been happening for centuries, the methods used have changed. Salt harvesting used to be done with equipment including pickaxes, shovels, and wheelbarrows,\u201d it says, while neglecting to provide information about who was (forced to) use these instruments, when, and why.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The information provided at significant historical sites is not only lacking and outdated. It often manipulates history by sanitizing it, without perpetrators, only faceless victims. This representation prevents a deeper understanding of historical events and hinders genuine reconciliation efforts. It suggests that Bonaire\u2019s colonial past has faded into obscurity, as if it has been forgotten or worse, that it does not matter. The \u2018slave cabins\u2019 may appear as mere relics of a distant era that no longer hold significance to anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the outdated \u2018official narrative\u2019 on the plaques is being challenged by unofficial updates. Like this graffiti that declares: \u201cFor the second time in history, you steal our island.\u201d Such messages are rare to find, but they show that the colonial past is an indelible imprint that, depending on where one looks, continues to shape the experiences of people living and visiting the island.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-perpetuating-inequalities-nbsp\"><strong>Perpetuating inequalities&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, Bonaire\u2019s past and present collapse into one another. While addressing the past, the graffiti's message exposes the stark economic disparities that plague the island today, with almost half of the local residents living in poverty. Journalist Phaedra Haringsma <a href=\"https:\/\/decorrespondent.nl\/13713\/zo-wordt-ongelijkheid-tussen-europees-en-caribisch-nederland-al-jaren-in-stand-gehouden\/2f84b44f-db88-0d7c-029d-9c1d00ae02b3\">sheds light<\/a> on this \u201ccrisis in slow motion\u201d, revealing the struggles of Bonaire\u2019s residents, who receive significantly less social support than their European counterparts. As the cost of living on the island surpasses that of the Netherlands, Bonairians are left with far less disposable income. Dutch dominance in access to resources and opportunities is growing on the island, echoing historical injustices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This unequal access to resources is exemplified by the housing market on the island. Since 2010, when Bonaire became a municipality within the Netherlands, wealthy Dutch people have found it easier to relocate to the island, driving up housing prices significantly. The high prices of food are largely due to the island\u2019s heavy reliance on imported goods, predominantly from the Netherlands. While tourists and affluent immigrants can afford these prices, local residents face financial strain. They are priced out of these essential resources, perpetuating disparities and inequalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-segregated-society\"><strong>\u201cA segregated society\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The consequences of the unequal access to resources are evident, with <a href=\"https:\/\/caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl\/2023\/05\/13\/armoede-op-bonaire-opnieuw-groot-protest-tegen-den-haag\/\">residents<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/nos.nl\/artikel\/2493122-derde-van-caribisch-nederland-onder-armoedegrens-pleidooi-voor-hoger-minimumloon\">news platforms<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kinderombudsman.nl\/nieuws\/belangrijkste-zorg-op-bonaire-kinderen-die-in-armoede-leven\">government organizations<\/a> regularly reporting on. Bonairians, they show, are compelled to skip meals, resort to overcrowded living situations, and must juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Haringsma speaks of a \u201csegregated society\u201d, where divisions persist not only along economic lines but also indirectly along racial lines. Differences in spending power is one of the reasons why Bonairians generally tend to visit different places \u2013 hair salons, cafes, restaurants - than tourists or Dutch immigrants. While the latter enjoy exclusive beach clubs, indulging in traditional Dutch snacks like \u2018bitterballen\u2019 and \u2018kaasstengels\u2019, Bonairians might gather in the local pub in the village Rincon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A sign with the following inscription: &quot;1863, abolition of slavery. Free yourself from the Netherlands. Help now or (re)colonise. Far fewer Makambas&quot;.\" class=\"wp-image-130891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-1536x1030.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-2048x1373.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-1000x671.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/imgpsh_fullsize_anim-2-1-1110x744.jpg 1110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>\u201c1863 slavery abolished. Free from the Netherlands. Help now or (re-)colonize. Many fewer Makambas.\u201d A sign denounces the growing settlement of mainland Dutch on the island of Bonaire and the inequality of social benefits. Photo: Anne van Mourik<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Discontent about Dutch dominant presence extends beyond graffiti on rooftops. Over the years, activists have protested by placing wooden signs along the main roads. One sign reads, \u201c1863 slavery abolished. Free from the Netherlands. Help now or (re-)colonize. Many fewer Makambas\u201d (person born in the Netherlands). Another sign was placed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigdrumnation.com\/2022\/12\/20\/bonarie-struggle-for-self-determination-james-finies\/\">James Finies<\/a>, founder of the Nos Kier Boneiru Bek (We Want Bonaire Back) organisation. It suggests, among other things, that \u201cSettlers Dutch Makambas\u201d should \u201cgo home\u201d, and that Bonarians live under \u201cDutch Apartheid\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to mention, however, that a large majority of the population is not so expressly preoccupied with the question of whether the island should become independent. The interests of the island are too significant to cut ties with the Netherlands, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volkskrant.nl\/columns-opinie\/geef-het-caribische-deel-van-nederland-zetels-in-het-parlement~b3b6d6b0\/\">argued<\/a> by political scientist Wouter Veenendaal and historian Gert Oostindie. Discontent primarily revolves around the poverty and inequality on the island, a sentiment that was also evident in street protests in May 2022 and <a href=\"https:\/\/caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl\/2023\/05\/13\/armoede-op-bonaire-opnieuw-groot-protest-tegen-den-haag\/\">2023<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hope-for-the-future\"><strong>Hope for the future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bonaire\u2019s hidden colonial history is not so concealed when looking beneath the surface of the official texts provided at historical sites. The enduring weight of the colonial past can be found in the form of criticism expressed at these sites and along main roads. It can be found in the island residents\u2019 disparities in resource access and in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volkskrant.nl\/columns-opinie\/geef-het-caribische-deel-van-nederland-zetels-in-het-parlement~b3b6d6b0\/\">Dutch disinterest<\/a> towards their concerns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slowly but surely, there appears to be a growing recognition of the need for accountability regarding the erosion of Bonaire's economy and culture. In 2024 the Dutch government allocated an extra \u20ac30 million for poverty alleviation in the Caribbean Netherlands. Part of this funding aims to increase social welfare benefits, reflecting steps towards establishing a social minimum on the islands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of particular interest is the <a href=\"https:\/\/bes-reporter.com\/successful-visit-and-collaboration-of-utrecht-university-to-bonaire-for-heritage-project\/\">collaboration<\/a> between the <a href=\"https:\/\/terramarmuseum.com\/\">Bonairian Terramar Museum<\/a>, local heritage organizations, and Utrecht University in the Netherlands which aims to redefine the narrative surrounding the island's heritage. Instead of an \u201cexhibition for cruise tourists\u201d, the project is advocating for a permanent postcolonial exhibition by and for Bonairians.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if the outcome of extra social funding and Terramar\u2019s plans for an exhibition are still unclear, initiatives such as these give hope for a future with a more conscientious approach to history.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"articleLink articleLink--editorRecommanded articleLink--textInImage articleLink--textTop\" style=\"\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"articleLinkSurTitle\">Recommended reading<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"articleLinkImageLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/en\/111007-colonial-racism-catches-up-with-amsterdam-rijksmuseum.html\"><div class=\"articleLinkImageContainer \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Netherlands_Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum_@Olaf-Kraak-ANP-AFP-540x360.jpg\" class=\"articleLinkImage backgroundImageTag w-100 wp-post-image\" alt=\"A man walks in front of works of art exhibited at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (Netherlands)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Netherlands_Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum_@Olaf-Kraak-ANP-AFP-540x360.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Netherlands_Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum_@Olaf-Kraak-ANP-AFP-730x487.jpg 730w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Netherlands_Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum_@Olaf-Kraak-ANP-AFP-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Netherlands_Amsterdam-Rijksmuseum_@Olaf-Kraak-ANP-AFP.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/div><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/en\/111007-colonial-racism-catches-up-with-amsterdam-rijksmuseum.html\" class=\"articleLinkTitle articleLinkTitle--default\">\r\n\t\t\tColonial racism catches up with Amsterdam Rijksmuseum\r\n\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"content-encadre\">\n<p><strong>ANNE VAN MOURIK<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130793 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.justiceinfo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot_20240415_102528_Chrome-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"197\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Anne van Mourik is a PhD candidate at the Niod Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the University of Amsterdam. Until 2020 she worked as a researcher in the \u2018Independence, Decolonization, Violence and War in Indonesia 1945-50\u2019 program. Together with Peter Romijn,\u00a0Remco Raben and Maarten van der Bent she worked on the research project about the ways politicians and colonial administrators dealt with large-scale violence.\u200b\u00a0Her current research explores victimhood\/perpetrator discourses with regard to German hunger during and after both world wars.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bonaire, a Caribbean island within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, features pristine beaches, vibrant diving spots, and a bustling tourist scene. However, behind its beauty lies a tumultuous history marked by slavery and violence and a contemporary landscape characterized by persistent inequalities. Scholar Anne van Mourik sees through the blinding sun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":130854,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[545,567],"tags":[2894,2857],"ji_location":[2373],"class_list":["post-130880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-memory","category-opinion","tag-colonialism","tag-slavery","ji_location-netherlands"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3.1 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Bonaire : slavery and social inequalities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bonaire, a Caribbean island within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was marked by slavery and violence and persistent inequalities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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