research & publishing
hidden histories
Being Part European
During the colonial period, the Netherlands was involved in the settlement, occupation, and control of territories worldwide, exerting dominance over people and resources. This colonial inheritance is reflected in the 470.734 ancestral objects now held by the Wereldmuseum, with only 3% on public display. The remaining 97% are stored in a 4.000 m² depot at a secluded location in 's-Gravenzande. Access to the facility is very restricted, with only 27 authorised researchers allowed annually. This depot is one of many similar storage facilities for ethnographic collections throughout Europe.
The objects in the museum's depot are more than mere material. They represent an invaluable legacy transcending property and ownership, holding ancestral histories and embodying knowledge that precedes our contemporary realities. Fragmented by displacement, these objects continue to whisper their stories, moving beyond their condition as catalogued items, building new forms of relationality and plurality to which they once belonged.
The film shows the objects where they actually are and works with them as they present themselves. Despite being wrapped up and tied down, we can see they still carry their power and the potential they were created for.
Being Part European is a poem written by Sam Simpson (Fiji, 1974) that now lets the objects speak for themselves, with voice-overs over from Colin Salmon amongst others, and a poetic typographical overlay.
Being Part European, 2024 (13.24 min)
Director: Mirelle van Tulder
Co-director: Bram Broerse
Cinematographer: Luuk de Kok
Production: Mirelle van Tulder & Studio Airport
Editor: Bram Broerse
First voice: Colin Salmon
Second voice: Rupa Krishnan
Third voice: Anita Loshmanova
Music & Sound Design: Julian Tjon Sack Kie
Sound Editing Anita Loshmanova: Philippe Abdoulaye Ndiaye
Graphic Design: Carsten Pölking & Johanna Gschwandtl
Production Assistants: Anže Petelinšek & Johanna Gschwandtl
Depot Management: Ester de Bruin & Harm Linsen