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You are invited to peel back the layers of the white colonial gaze, to unlearn, to see what has been hidden, to recognise what has been ignored, and to think critically. The colonial past is not just a chapter in a history book; its chains are still carried every day, marginalising, silencing, erasing and ignoring the voices and stories that should have been heard. It is in the systems around us, in our identities, our culture, our institutions and even in our bodies. From archival investigations of racist traditions to poetic interweavings of ancestry and spirituality, this programme uncovers colonial histories and their legacies, through four different films.
Black Pete is a colonial stereotype masquerading as a Dutch tradition. While the debate about him flares up every winter, the colonial symbolism demands a year-round conversation. Black Pete's journey is not only about the annual boat trip from Spain; there is much more to the story. In his archival essay The Black Pete Files, Festus Toll examines Black Pete's origins and the racist truths behind its legacy. Further than Hip Hop by Lavinia Xausa delves into how Dutch colonial history continues to shape communities in the Netherlands. By juxtaposing the words of colonial missionaries with the voices of contemporary rappers and spoken-word artists, the film captures reflections on racism, identity, and belonging.
In KANKANTRI: The Silk Cotton Tree, Gabri Christa fuses dance, ritual and film to explore ancestry, memory and spiritual discovery. Following one woman's journey to reconnect with her roots and feel whole, the film taps into the richness and cultural complexity of Suriname. With its layered storytelling, in-depth research and poetic cinematic imagery, Kankantri transcends the boundaries of dance films and immerses the audience in a profound meditation on history, identity and the enduring presence of the past.
In Uma Oração para a Liminalidade, Anne Jesuina Tobias de Andrade examines how the body can be reclaimed as a source of knowledge, spirituality, and trust within the grip of white supremacy culture. The film weaves together the traces of human intervention in the land with the imposed identities placed on Black, Brown, and female bodies within neo-colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal structures, It’s an investigation of the gaze of modernity and the suppressing ways in which it makes things seen and valuable, annihilating others.
After the screening, you are invited to take part in an interactive discussion exploring the themes of colonial histories and their continuing impact on our world today. The discussion aims to activate the process of unlearning and decolonisation by encouraging participants to critically reflect on their personal, social and collective experiences of colonialism, identity and representation. The discussion incorporates participatory tools such as images, questions, and direct dialogue to make the process accessible and engaging for all.
This program was curated by Charmaine de Heij.
