Photo Exhibition 'In Our Own Words' Showcases Maluku Diaspora's Journey to the Netherlands

Dozens of black and white photographs are on display at the Honorary Consulate of the Netherlands in Ambon, Indonesia, documenting the journey of the Maluku diaspora in the Netherlands. The exhibition, titled "In Eigen Woorden" (In Our Own Words), features images capturing the lives of Maluku people who left their homeland in the early 1950s.

The collection spans from the 1950s to the 1990s, showcasing intimate moments of everyday life, from children smiling in front of simple homes to families praying and young people dancing. Each photograph tells a story of longing, struggle, and identity for those who traveled thousands of kilometers from Maluku to the Netherlands.

Initially organized by the Maluku Museum in the Netherlands as part of the 75th-anniversary commemoration of the Maluku diaspora, the exhibition was brought to Ambon to symbolize an unbroken connection. Theoresia Rumthe, the exhibition's editor and producer in Ambon, explained that the black and white format highlights the archival nature of the photos, serving as a visual record of their past.

The primary goal of the exhibition is to foster an emotional connection between the Maluku people in their homeland and their relatives living abroad. It provides a space for reunion and remembrance, allowing both communities to reflect on the experiences of adaptation, the preservation of identity, and the enduring cultural ties. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Indonesia, Marc Gerritsen, inaugurated the exhibition, emphasizing the power of stories to connect people.