"I'm going to cycle the oldest road on Java - The Jalan Raya Pos or The Great Post Road - and capture modern Indonesia life, 70 years after colonisation. While cycling this old post road I'll send out paper post to people backing this project."
Jalan Raya Pos - The Great Post road
This year Indonesia celebrates 70 year of independence from The Netherlands. In what way is colonial history still visible in contemporary Indonesia? Traveling over Java this history seems to be vanished by modern times. But is this history really gone? To visualise how Indonesia deals with it’s colonial past, I cycle over the first real road on Java: The Jalan Raya Pos or The Great Post Road. A 1000 km long road that connects east and west Java, built by Dutchman Daendels in 1808.
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Herman Willem Daendels (in the background on the left you can see the Jalan Raya Pos in progress)
The Jalan Raya Pos is the redline in this photo project. The photo documentary is about anything that happens alongside this colonial route, and about who lives and works there or just passes by. Sometimes with a touch of humor, sometimes serious I want to investigate how daily life evolved alongside this colonial traffic vein and expose how Indonesia deals with it’s colonial past.
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Background
After the Indonesian independence in 1945, my grandmother and grandfather came to the Netherlands, while other parts of my family stayed on Java. The cultural differences between my Indonesian family and my Dutch family can be huge, but in the same time fascinating.
A few years ago I started working on photo and film projects in Indonesia. Through the work I made about the country I learned a lot about it’s culture. The last story I did was about Ramadan in a pretty strict muslim community in Yogyakarta. Below you see a few photos from this project. The full story you can read and view on www.erickampherbeek.nl/when-the-sun-sets.
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Images from 'When the sun sets', about Ramadan in YogyakartaWhile working on stories about Indonesia, I noticed that in The Netherlands we know a lot about the colonial heritage in our own country. About post-colonial migration and the effects it has on people involved, for instance. But in the same time we know very little about Indonesia’s perspective on this shared history.
I believe it’s very important not only to look at the coloniser himself, but also to the one being colonised. We can broaden our views on Dutch history by looking at post-colonial Indonesia. Built, despite or because of the former colonisation. This is what I try to address with this photo project 'Jalan Raya Pos'.
The photo documentary
The photos I’m going to make, show an Indonesia that is build on the ruins of the colony. Sometimes literally, but more often figuratively. Not only looking what's left behind by the Dutch, but more how Indonesia incorporates this heritage in daily life.
For instance a colonial ruin that's left behind became a place for young couples to meet up. Or the landscapes around the Jalan Raya Pos with their many mosques. No traveller on this big road has to look a long time for a place to pray .
In my documentary style of photographing I search for connections. I try to get close to people and want to understand what their lives look like. I want to be connected to the one I follow and be at the same at enough distance to see the bigger picture.
The bicycle
Being a cycling enthusiast I’m going to travel the Jalan Raya Pos by bike. Not only is it great fun to cycle the 1000 km from west to east Java, it also helps in connecting with people on the road. Just like people in The Netherlands, Indonesians love bicycles (maybe a colonial leftover). The only difference is that Indonesians see bicycles as a collectors item from colonial times (antique bikes) or they see them as sports items (road bikes). Less common are bicycles used for daily transport. “You must be poor having to ride a bike”, some people might think. This mindset on bicycles can help having fun conversations with people and can help breaking the ice.
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Presentations in Indonesia
The main focus of the project is making a photographic body of work on post-colonial Indonesia. But another important part of the project are presentations I'm going to give. In these presentations I talk about the project itself, but I also explain what views The Netherlands has on colonisation. I look forward to hear the views Indonesians have on post-colonial Indonesia. These perspectives can broaden my view and the view of this project.
The main goal with this project
The photo series and the presentations have one common goal: to get a better understanding on how Indonesians see their colonial background. You might think this is a done subject, but that’s not true. Most projects cover historical Indonesia in colonial times or cover modern Indonesia without talking about colonial ties. That’s why I believe it’s important to see how colonisation contributed to shaping modern Indonesia.
Why I need your support
As with every other project, there is money needed to make this project happen. That’s why I’m so glad that Foundation Democracy and Media and Stroom Den Haag are funding a big part of this project.
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But they are not funding everything, which means I’m not there yet. And that’s why I ask for your support in raising the last €1500,- needed for this project to succeed.
With your donation to the project help closing the budget and make this project come to life. You contribute to the creation of imagery about post-colonial Indonesia. You also help in setting up the presentations that are important to this project.
The rewards
In return for your support you receive post from Indonesia. Post from the Great Post Road. During my trip I will send everyone who backs this project for more than €50 a personal letter with printed images from the work in progress.
People who back this project with more than €150, receive a, one time only, handmade publication with a complete photo-series once the project is finished in November.
Post from Indonesia (please note that this is just an example)
Timetable ‘Jalan Raya Pos’
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August - September 2015: Cycling the Jalan Raya Pos and working on the photo-series
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Beginning of September 2015: Sending out post to all backers with images from the first part of the Jalan Raya Pos.
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August - Oktober 2015: Giving presentations in Indonesia
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Beginning of Oktober 2015: Sending out post for the second time to all backers. The photos come from the second part of the project.
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End of November 2015: Sending out the handmade publication to backers and delivery of prints.
The final product
The final photo-series and stories will be published on a dedicated website www.jalanrayapos.nl. When the project is finished this website will be visible to everybody. The names of all backers are listed here as well.
During the project the website functions as a blog, where people can follow the work in progress. And be part of all the ups and downs in the project. Hopefully not so many downs.
And who knows what happens after this. Ideas for a book and a exhibition are already in my mind, but are beyond the scope of this project right now.
Risks and challenges
Because there are so many ways in telling the story of post-colonial Indonesia, the risk of not getting the story right is small. Once this Indiegogo campaign is fully financed, I’m ready to go and cycle the Jalan Raya Pos and create the project.
This Indiegogo campaign is using fixed funding. Which means that when the campaign turns out to be unsuccessful, your pledge will be refunded. So your risks are minimal.
Following and sharing
You can follow the creation of the project on a dedicated website www.jalanrayapos.nl. Stories, videos and images from the work in progress you’ll find on this website.
Besides your donation you are helping a lot by sharing this campaign with your friends, colleagues and family on social media or in real life.
Thank you
I’m really looking forward working on this project and I hope I got your interest as well. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
I’m hoping for your support!
And for those who would like to read on. A little about postcolonial Indonesia:
Colonial history
Indonesia has a long history of colonisation and suppression. In the 350 years, where the Dutch ruled over Indonesia, the foundation was laid for what now is the republik Indonesia. This years marks 70 years since Sukarno declared the Indonesian independence. The Netherlands didn’t agree with the decolonisation, but after a bloody battle and pressure from the United Nations the independence had to be given to the republik Indonesia.
The image that the Dutch only brought wealth and prosperity in their eastern colony, is diminishing rapidly the last years. It took decades for The Netherlands to admit to the war crimes, they committed during the Indonesian struggle for independence. And even these present days new facts and figures about cruelties committed by the Dutch arise. A salient detail is that the dutch government, until today, doesn’t recognise that Indonesia became independent in 1945. Although that would be very much appreciated by Indonesia. This says a lot about the struggle The Netherlands still have with their colonial past .
But amongst Indonesians colonialism doesn’t seem to be an issue. For many Indonesians national history starts with the declaration of independence in 1945. History before that is said to be gone, and digging into that old colonial history would be useless and a waste of time.
But it’s an illusion to think that all Indonesians forgot about their history. In one to one talks often irritation arises about the completion of the decolonisation by The Netherlands. This may not be the official standpoint of the Indonesian government, amongst artists and intellectuals this image is still alive.
