Global Slavery History Fellowships
A coalition of Amsterdam based Archives, Museums and Historical institutes* with the generous support of the Insinger Foundation has taken the initiative for a five-year programme that offers two-month long fellowships per year for curators, archivists and historians in the field of slavery history, starting in the Fall of 2024.
The fellowships are open to professionals working on the history of slavery in the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Indonesian archipelago, linked to the Dutch involvement in slave trade and slave labour.
The attention to the Dutch colonial slavery past has increased considerably over the last years. Especially communities that were subject to the contemporary ramifications such as systemic racism pushed for acknowledgement and changes in perspectives and priorities within academic institutions, museums and archives. A missing link is the input and expertise of inhabitants of societies that were colonized and where slavery and other forms of forced labour were rampant. The slavery past has a broad and pervasive impact, both in personal histories and the social structures of these societies. The questions, perspectives, and expertise of young professionals (especially historians, archivists, librarians, and curators) from societies affected by this colonial slavery past and its knock-on effects in the Americas, Africa, and Asia are essential to inform contemporary debates about and dealing with the slavery past. The fellowships aim to support this group of young professionals.
* Allard Pierson Museum/UB, Amsterdam Museum, The Black Archives, IISG, NINSEE, Rijksmuseum, Stadsarchief Amsterdam, UvA, Wereldmuseum.
Javier Estupiñán is an audiovisual artist from the Canary Islands whose artistic approach intertwines with his curatorial practices. Since 2022, he co-directs Vega de Agua, an art initiative that develops art residencies and other cultural projects focused on collective and multidisciplinary practices. His works are directly linked to experimentation and often delve into potential pasts to reclaim stories that have been marginalized or hidden.
For the Global Slavery History Fellowship, Javier Estupiñán aims to explore the role of the Netherlands in the overlooked history of slavery in the Canary Islands. During this research, he intends to create an audiovisual piece that challenges the prevailing 'paradise' image of the Canary Islands in European collective memory. By highlighting the colonial past and the historical significance of the archipelago as a strategic location in the transatlantic trade of enslaved people, this work seeks to provoke critical reflection on the complex history of these islands and their ties to Europe.
Toluwanimi Owolana is a Nigerian researcher, artefact biographer, and cultural storyteller with seven years of experience designing engagement programs to promote indigenous narratives and revitalize cultural heritage. Her work focuses on unraveling the stories behind ancient artefacts, connecting contemporary audiences with the past.
Toluwanimi is a recipient of the Connecting the Dots Museum Fellowship, hosted by the Goethe Institute Nigeria in partnership with the Ford Foundation and the National Museum Benin. She is also a fellow of the Cultural Heritage Forward program, launched by the U.S. Department of State and the Smithsonian Institution.
During her time in Amsterdam for the Global Heritage Fellowship, she aims to collaborate with the Black Archives to exhibit a comic strip titled "Unveiling the Paths to Enslavement: How Slaves Became Slaves." This educational narrative will explore the various pathways through which Africans were forced into slavery, highlighting both European and Indigenous influences.
In addition, Toluwanimi plans to host a webinar connecting the esteemed researchers at the institute with scholars from Nigeria. The webinar will address the significance of archival research, data collection strategies, best practices in archive management, and navigating research careers in the Global South. This initiative aims to foster collaboration, learning, and networking between West African researchers and established scholars at the International Institute of Social History (IISG).
