The forced relocation and enslavement of Africans to the Americas and Caribbean by Europeans in the 17th to 19th centuries changed the face of the world forever. It built empires, created great wealth, and degraded human beings into mere chattel – the repercussions of which continue to reverberate in our society. Museum Kura Hulanda impressively charts the trans-Atlantic slave trade in its totality from the harbor of Willemstad, where Dutch entrepreneurs once traded Africans along with other “commercial goods.” Initiated and developed by one man, Jacob Geld Dekker, the museum exhibits his vast collection of artifacts from continental Europe, showcasing the dynamic vitality of the great West African Empires alongside the tools that made their subjugation a dark reality. Even more impressive is how the museum moves visitors beyond the painful memories of slavery, demonstrating how our African roots and diverse cultural heritage have influenced societies from Curaçao to the powers of today. That such a tiny country can boast such a movingly comprehensive experience is a major – and very welcome – achievement.
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