All the way from Java: Islamic heritage and the aftermath of colonialism

By: Mirjam Shatanawi (KITLV and Amsterdam University of the Arts)
14.00 to 15.30, walk in with coffee and tea from 13:30, 15th of January 2025

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For centuries, the Dutch ruled over the Indonesian archipelago, a region with a vast Muslim-majority population. During this time, hundreds of thousands of Indonesian artifacts were shipped to the Netherlands. These included everything from precious weapons and manuscripts to everyday items and scraps of paper bearing religious texts. Despite Indonesia's long Islamic history, Dutch representations of its arts and cultures have fixated on Hinduism, Buddhism, and ancestral practices. 

This talk dives into the colonial legacies shaping how Indonesian Islamic heritage is presented in museums in the Netherlands. It traces the journey of these artifacts from their original contexts to their historical and current displays, revealing how they were re-purposed as war trophies, intelligence materials, educational tools, or simply as pretty things to decorate the home. Through vivid examples, the talk will explore how academic and popular ideas influenced the interpretation of Indonesia's religious heritage. This lecture not only sheds light on the lasting impacts of colonialism but also suggests pathways for the decolonization of museums, ensuring a more inclusive representation of Indonesia's Islamic history.
Mirjam Shatanawi is a researcher and curator in the field of Islamic heritage. She is affiliated to the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) and the Reinwardt Academy (Amsterdam University of the Arts).