Files: Migration

Migration is the movement of people and the cultures, ideas and objects with them. The Dutch caused and stimulated migration from and to the Netherlands, but also contributed to the forced and voluntary migration of many other nationalities.

Dutch expansion and colonialism
Starting from the 17th century, Dutch expansion and colonialism caused migration all over the world. A number of migrants consisted of officials, labourers and entrepreneurs who chose to live in the Dutch trade posts and colonies, such as Batavia, Cape Town and New Amsterdam. These people moved voluntarily because they were looking for fortune and riches.

But there was also a larger, forced migration. The Dutch bought slaves in Africa which they sold and put to work in the colonies of the East and West Indies, such as Indonesia and Suriname. The slave trade that was abolished in 1863, was partly replaced by contract labour. Contract labourers were mostly foreign nationalities that accepted a labour contract in which they pledged to work for a certain employer abroad for a number of years for a very low wage. In this period, large Hindustani and Javanese groups migrated to Suriname to work on the plantations. A project like Life stories of Surinamese from Javanese origin in the Diaspora explores the heritage of this forced migration and reflects on the process and life that followed after.

Hopeful migration
While forced migration lessened, the search for a better future in a foreign country increased. A project like Research guide on Dutch Migration to Brazil was initiated to bring the background of this migration to Brazil to light. In the southern Brazilian states, some Dutch customs and traditions can still be found. A project like Campaign exhibition: Exploring the Dutch-Brazilian shared heritage explores the shared heritage between those two countries and tries to preserve it.

Old Dutch colonial buildings in Indonesia
During the second half of the 20th century the Netherlands experienced two contradicting migration flows. On the one hand, a number of Dutch people decided to leave the Netherlands for other parts of the world. World War II had devastated Europe and - encouraged by their government - many people left the Netherlands for countries such as the United States, Australia or Canada, in hopes of a better future. On the other hand, people also migrated to Europe. Between 1922-1975, during a period of decolonisation, many of the officials who worked in the colonies returned to their home country. They were joined by the locals who worked for them. Notably after 1950, the migration caused by decolonisation grew. During this period, many natives from the former colonies migrated to the former ‘motherland’, hoping for something better. The Indonesian National Revolution in 1945 led to the migration of many Dutch-Eurasians from Indonesia to the Netherlands.

Traces in the present
Traces of migration can be found in both tangible and intangible heritage: from objects, architecture, archives, landscapes, customs, traditions and (oral) stories to the descendants themselves. EMPIRE is a good example of a migration project, as it documents the traces around the world where the legacy of Dutch colonialism is still evident, using different storytelling techniques. It explores and defines how conditions of the past continue to influence lives in the present, and therefore are still relevant.