Reflections on Dutch and Flemish Cultures Dutch and Flemish at Sheffield

Storying History: Lifting the Lid

In this episode of Storying History, ‘Lifting the Lid through Literature’, we will be looking at the effectiveness of using narrative literature as a tool to give children a more comprehensive overview of how life could be for those who were forced into an enslaved existence. Our discussion is inspired by the themes of violence, innocence and also the idea of perspective, as they relate to 3 particular books which have recently been proposed as additional reading material for key stage three: Quaco, Als slavin geboren, Hoe mooi wit ik ben. And we will voice our opinion as to how accessible we find these books to be for a younger audience.

This episode is hosted by the documentary maker: Ethan S-C, and joining him for the discussion will be the renowned children’s book author Tyler D, as well as the historian who owns a multitude of aliases and even more colourful suits, Nathanael F. 

References: 

Dolf Verroen, Hoe mooi wit ik ben (Amsterdam: Leopold, 2016)

Marian Hoefnagel, Als slavin geboren (Amsterdam: Eenvoudig Communiceren, 2014) 

Ineke Mok en Erik Heuvel, (Oosterhout: UitgeverijL, 2022)

Anton de Kom, Wij Slaven van Suriname (Amsterdam: Contact, 2020)

Gloria Wekker,  White Innocence (Durham: Duke University Press, 2016 

Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

Licence code: NAOYFZAEDJU6CICS

Have you ever had the feeling that you want to contribute to an important conversation but have been held back by the fear of saying the wrong thing? 

Us too. 

This is why we’ve named this episode of the Storying History series ‘How Do I Put…?’, where we talk about how we can engage in the tricky but necessary conversations surrounding how we represent colonial history. Sophie Moss and Beth Tasker, two students of Dutch Studies at the University of Sheffield, take the first step in opening the conversation by honing in on three examples of Dutch children’s literature and how they each offer very different representations of slavery and colonialism. These are Quaco (Ineke Mok, 2015) Als Slavin Geboren (“Born as a Slave” - Marian Hoefnagel, 2014) and Hoe Mooi Wit Ik Ben (How Beautifully White I Am - Rudolf Verroen, 2016). 

The focus of this podcast, and especially this episode, is not about knowing everything already, but being open to learning. Our discussion is based on what we can learn from each of these texts, and how we can start to bridge the gap between being willing to learn and actively discussing and acquiring knowledge. 

We hope you’ll join us. 

Bibliography:

Admin, ‘Toelichting bij “Hoe Mooi Wit Ik Ben”’, Kinderboeken.nl, 2020 [accessed 20 May 2023]

 

Ekow Eshun. ‘Exploring the Black Atlantic’, Tate, 2021 [accessed 22 May 2023] 

Hartman, Saidiya. ‘Intimate History, Radical Narrative’, The Journal of African American History, 106.1 (2021), 127–35 

Hoefnagel, Marian. Als Slavin Geboren (Uitgeverij Eenvoudig Communiceren: Amsterdam, 2014) 

Mok, Ineke, Quaco: Leven in Slavernij (The Netherlands: Walburg Pers, 2015) 

Mok, Ineke, Quaco: My Life in Slavery trans. By The University of Sheffield (United Kingdom: Uitgeverij L, 2022) 

Verroen, Rudolf. Hoe mooi wit ik ben (The Netherlands: Leopold, 2016) 

Wekker, Gloria. White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race (Durham: Duke University Press, 2016 

 

‘Storying History: Literary Voices’ - It’s not all Black and White: Time to tell children the truth about slavery

In this podcast we talked about the sensitive topic of slavery with particular reference to the role of the UK and The Netherlands. This podcast includes host, Elsie, along with two guests: Primary school teacher, Britt Van der Veen, and Author and Publisher, Hillary Baker. 

The focus of this podcast is on three works of children’s literature and their importance to the cultural archive and how appropriate they are to current discussions. Elsie and her guests mull over the difficulties of relating the horrors of slavery to children and how and when this should be done. This is the beginning of an important conversation about society, and the inclusion of the unpleasant parts of our history in the school system. 

References

Als slavin geboren (no date). Available at: https://www.taalhuis.nl/adviescollectie/leesboeken/als-slavin-geboren (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Britton, J. (2022) The Vital Role of Translation in the Black Lives Matter Era. Available at: https://www.the-low-countries.com/article/the-vital-role-of-translation-in-the-black-lives-matter-era.

Christiaens, T. (2022) The Top 7 Literature Stories of the Year. Available at: https://www.the-low-countries.com/article/topliterature.

“Cotton Capital: the Guardian and reparations” (no date). The Guardian: Today in Focus. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZEdMHeNGqT1xzHvEk1Jg2?si=2a2ac01d2ef6406b.

David Olusoga on the Guardian’s links to slavery: ‘That reality can’t be negotiated with’ - video (2023). Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2023/mar/28/david-olusoga-examines-the-guardians-links-to-slavery-that-reality-cant-be-negotiated-with.

Dolf Verroen - Hoe mooi wit ik ben (no date). Available at: https://ikvindlezenleuk.nl/product/verroen-hoe-mooi-wit-ik-ben (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Femke (2016) Hoe mooi wit ik ben. Available at: https://leesbevorderingindeklas.nl/book-review/hoe-mooi-wit (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Hoefnagel, M. (2018) Als Slavin Geboren.

Houterman, K. (2020) Ophef over kinderboek Slaaf kindje Slaaf, “schadelijk zonder uitleg.” Available at: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/5168780/slaaf-kindje-slaaf-kinderboek-hoe-mooi-wit-ik-ben-ophef-school (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Jaap (2017) Een onaangenaam verhaal in de herkansing. Available at: https://jaapleest.nl/een-onaangenaam-verhaal-de-herkansing (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Klaver, M.-J. (2022) De ogen van de slaaf. Available at: https://neerlandistiek.nl/2022/07/de-ogen-van-de-slaaf (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Marian Hoefnagel (no date). Available at: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_Hoefnagel (Accessed: May 26, 2023).

Quaco- vivre en esclavage (no date). Available at: https://www.cultura.com/p-quaco-vivre-en-esclavage-9782875353399.html (Accessed: May 27, 2023).

Rutte, M. (2022) Toespraak van minister-president Mark Rutte over het slavernijverleden. Available at: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/toespraken/2022/12/19/toespraak-minister-president-rutte-over-het-slavernijverleden.

Slaaf Kindje Slaaf (Hoe mooi wit ik ben) - Dolf Verroen (no date). Available at: https://www.basmaliepaard.nl/publicaties/trouw-recensie/slaaf-kindje-slaaf (Accessed: May 20, 2023).

Tate (2019) The Tate Galleries and Slavery. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/history-tate/tate-galleries-and-slavery.

Van Oostrum, D. (2022) How the Story of an Enslaved Boy Transformed Into a Shared Dutch History. Available at: https://www.the-low-countries.com/article/how-the-story-of-an-enslaved-boy-transformed-into-a-shared-dutch-history.

Verroen, D. (2016) Hoe mooi wit ik ben. 2nd edn.

Welcome to "Storying History," a thought-provoking podcast where we explore the complex nature of history. Join hosts Rob, Catherine, and Alisha as they challenge conventional narratives, question the criteria of historical facts, and delve into the power of storytelling and critical fabulation.

In this captivating series, we will uncover the multifaceted layers of history. Together, we'll examine the lens through which history is viewed, dissect the implications of historical representation, and explore the evolving nature of historical interpretation.

Through insightful discussions, we will navigate topics like the role of imagination in exposing social inequalities, the impact of archives on historical narratives, and the significance of amplifying marginalised voices. Drawing from a diverse range of sources, including Anton de Kom'sWe Slaves of Suriname, Raoul de Jong's Jaguarman and the recent production by theatre company Aluin en Raymi Sambo, Ik zeg toch sorry.

Join us on this intellectual exploration as we navigate the blurred boundaries between fact and fiction, challenge dominant historical accounts, and look towards a more inclusive and just understanding of our shared past.

Welcome to "Storying History," where we question, reimagine, and challenge the very essence of what it means to study history.

Sounds used in this podcast:


Baroque Coffee House - Doug Maxwell, Media Right Productions  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkU9nC81Vsw)


Applause 2 - Sandermotions, Freesound (https://freesound.org/s/277021/)


Movements before theatre - Xkeril, Freesound (https://freesound.org/s/634752/)

What does it mean to be Dutch in the 21st Century? How do we talk about the Dutch Empire? Can we still take pride in the great painters of the 17th Centuty?

John, Charlie and Zoe, three University of Sheffield students, discuss the history of Dutch colonialism through three chosen artefacts, all visual pieces. The central question is: How can the pictures help us understand the artists, the purpose, and the subjects involved. 


Leon Senf, Ontwerp voor een tegeltableau (1917)
Dirk Valkenburg, Ritueel van slaafgemaakten op een suikerplantage in Suriname (1707)
Alexander de Lavaux, Map of Suriname (1737)

John Furness, Charlie Stangroom & Zoe Pfaller
Part of the L2 Dutch Project Module: Remembering the Past; Imagining the Future
University of Sheffield: Dutch