15 November 2026, 12:30 - 18:00
Scenes from Indian Ocean Slavery
presentations, performance and discussion
with contributions by Ligia Giay, Frank Irving, Isna Marifa, Thania Petersen and Carine Zaayman
convened by Nancy Jouwe and Wim Manuhutu
Join us to learn more about the depth and impact of this underexposed and understudied part of the Dutch history of slavery. During Scenes from Indian Ocean Slavery/Scenes over slavernij in de Indische Oceaan, we will hear from writers, researchers, artists, musicians and others.
the program
The afternoon will start with theatrical readings from the acclaimed novel Mountains more Ancient by Indonesian author Isna Marifa, connecting the Indonesian archipelago and South Africa through the wanderings of an enslaved Javanese family.
Researcher and curator dr. Carine Zaayman will offer a text reflecting on the history of slavery in South Africa while screenings of artworks by South African artist Thania Petersen engage with the visual archive of slavery, colonialism, resilience and joy. Dr. Ligia Giay will share her research on slavery in the Moluccas and Papua.
We close with musical performers Frank Irving and Robinson Jouwe, who will bring to life the story of a Papuan women who was brought to Utrecht province in the 1840’s.
Get your tickets HERE!
Time Schedule
13:00 – 13:30
doors open
13:30 – 14:50
welcome by Nancy Jouwe and BAK Basecamp
13:40 – 14:20
reading of scenes from Mountains more Ancient by Francesca Pichel, intersected by conversations with author Isna Marifa
14:20 – 14:50
screening of Kassaram by Thania Petersen
14:50 – 15:20
break
15:20 – 15:35
reading by Carine Zaayman and Q&A
15:35 – 16:20
lecture by dr. Ligia Giay and Q&A on slavery and the slave trade in Eastern Indonesia
16:20 – 16:30
performance by Frank Irving and Robinson Jouwe on the story of Ourika Salawatta
16:30 – 16:35
closing remarks
16:35 – 17:30
drinks and sharing
Ongoing
screening of Jawap by Thania Petersen and bookstand
We don’t charge entrance fees, but suggest a donation for your participation between €5-12. Basecamp runs on lots of love and little money, you can donate upon entrance through a QR code and/or cash. Thank you for your support!
Visual by Beatrice Glow with design from Insan Larasati
Bios
Isna Marifa is a bi-lingual author who delves into the questions of humanity, our relationship with nature and our search for spiritual understanding. Her debut novel, Sapaan Sang Giri (2020), tells a story of enslaved workers from the Indonesian islands taken to South Africa in the 18th century. The English version, Mountains More Ancient (2022) was shortlisted for the Chommanard International Women’s Literary Award 2025. Her most recent book is a creative non-fiction entitled: Soedjatmoko, Revolusi dan Renaisans Bangsa – Memoar Masa Muda (2026).
Dr. Ligia Giay is a historian with an interest in the Eastern Indonesian maritime world. She obtained her MA at Leiden University where her thesis dealt with the issue of slavery in Papua. In 2022 she received her Phd. degree in History from Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. As a postdoctoral researcher, dr. Giay wrote a report on the colonial history of Leiden University. Dr. Giay teaches at Walter Post Theological School in Jayapura, Papua.
Francesca Pichel is an independent performing artist, actress and singer, born in Amsterdam. She dedicates her work to bringing untold, diverse narratives to life through music and performance, ensuring marginalized voices are powerfully represented. After obtaining her BA in performing Arts, she conducted a musical research in the tradition of the griot - the traditional musical storytellers and historians of West-Africa. She has performed in various movie and theater productions and she has co-written award-nominated theater pieces, such as Hatta en de Kom.
Carine Zaayman is an artist, curator, and scholar committed to critical engagement with colonial archives and collections, specifically those holding strands of Khoekhoe pasts. Bringing intangible and neglected histories into view is a key motivation for her work. At present, Zaayman is a Researcher and Research Coordinator at the Research Center for Material Culture at the Wereldmuseum. Her book, Seeing What is Not There: Figuring the Anarchive, was published by Brill in 2026.
Robinson Jouwe is a singer-songwriter. He graduated from Utrecht Conservatory in 2024. The exam committee lauded his natural stage personality and his colorful songs and thoughtful arrangements. He is a true singer-songwriter in his own universe of sounds and messages. His Papuan roots and queer identity are sources of inspiration.
Frank Irving writes music and song lyrics en creates performances. Looking at what the meaning and the connection with the present can be, Frank likes to research and create possible and fictional reconstructions of stories, thoughts and modes of thinking in the histories of his city of origin Utrecht.
Nancy Jouwe is a cultural historian and has written extensively on slavery, colonialism and women’s rights. She is co-initiator of Mapping Slavery, a transnational research project that maps the Dutch colonial history of slavery. As a researcher, curator, and project manager she focuses on cultural and social movements and the afterlives of Dutch colonialism. Since winter 2026 she’s a Basecamp builder, working on the program line Black Presence in Utrecht.
Wim Manuhutu is a historian, researcher and heritage professional. He has worked as a museum director, curator, policy advisor and lecturer. Currently Wim Manuhutu is a visiting fellow at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. As a member of the research consortium ‘Slavery Pasts and Present’ he is investigating the histories and legacies of slavery in the Eastern Indonesian archipelago.
