Informatie
The trading of human beings out of Africa resulted in Curaçao becoming around 1655 one of the most important distribution centers in the slave trade in the western hemisphere. Already during the days of slavery there was discontentment and a longing for freedom amongst the enslaved people in Curaçao. Said discontentment and longing culminated in the major slave revolt that started on August the 17th of 1795.
The legendary Tula was influenced by ideas from the French Revolution about freedom, equality and fraternity and was inspired by the leaders of the liberation struggles in Haiti. He rallied the enslaved people into a full scale rebellion following a trail of restistance an battle with the colonial armed forces. The motto of these freedom fighters was “We do not want anything else but our freedom”.
‘Slavery and Resistance in Curaçao: The Rebellion of 1795’ documents the history of slavery in Curaçao and the ways in which enslaved people resisted oppression. The work explores Curaçao’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, the social and economic impact of slavery, and the various forms of resistance, ranging from daily acts of defiance to large-scale uprisings, such as the 1795 slave revolt led by Tula. By drawing on historical sources and academic analyses, this book provides a valuable contribution to the understanding of Curaçao’s slavery past and its lasting impact on contemporary society. It serves as an essential reference within heritage research, helping to record and interpret this significant period in Caribbean history.
Contents
Preface ….. 4
Part 1. Origins of Slavery and the Dutch Slave Trade by Lionel Janga ….. 7
1. Introduction ….. 8
2. Origins of Slavery ….. 8
3. Origins of the Transatlantic Slave Trade ….. 10
4. The Transatlantic Slave Trade ….. 11
5. Curaçao and the Dutch Slave Trade ….. 14
Part 2. Slavery and the Rebellion, 1795 by Charles do Rego ….. 19
1. Introduction ….. 20
2. From a Naval Outpost to a Commercial Center ….. 22
3. Curaçao in the 18th Century ….. 24
3.1 Colonial Society ….. 24
3.2 Class, Race, and Religion ….. 26
3.3 Defense of the Colony ….. 34
3.4 Life in Town and on the Plantation ….. 35
4. A changing World ….. 37
4.1 Patriots and Royalists ….. 37
4.2 Slave Restistance ….. 39
4.3 Preconditions for Revolt ….. 42
4.4 Growing Repression ….. 45
5. Rebellion ….. 46
5.1 The Call for Freedom ….. 46
5.2 March to Freedom ….. 47
5.3 Porto Marie ….. 52
5.4 Ser’i Neger and Ser’i Kristòf ….. 56
6. Betrayal and Repression ….. 59
6.1 Rebel Leaders Captured ….. 60
6.2 Trial and Punishment ….. 60
6.3 Preventive Action ….. 62
7. Conclusion and Epilogue ….. 64
Acknowledgements ….. 68
Bibliography & Other Records ….. 71
Appendices ….. 74
