Centre for Space, Place and Society

CSPS Tourism Cluster | GEO@CSPS | Stories from the Dutch slavery and colonial past | Seminar | 6 June 1-3pm

Beeld ANP

Tourism@WUR event | Stories from the Dutch slavery and colonial past: a conversation with tour guides and museum curators from Ghana and Suriname

Stories matter, and tourism can provide stories of connection particularly in relation to the memories associated with slavery and colonial heritage. Arguably, tourism is the only contemporary site outside of formal education where civic learning about other times, places and people takes place. However, whilst the story-telling and worldmaking potential of tourism can provide new narratives or reinforce caricatured imaginaries of the past it may actively erase other times, places and people.

In this open seminar session, we hold a conversation with Kwesi Essel-Blankson and Sirano Zalman who are both professional tour guides, museum curators and cultural heritage experts from Ghana and Suriname respectively. We explore their engagement with Dutch slavery and colonial heritage and how the use tourism practices and performances to activate the memories of this shared heritage. In particular, we will discuss the stories they’ve developed and share during their guided slavery heritage tour and how visitors respond to such stories. We will also explore their views on the contemporary implications of this past, especially in relation to Dutch government apology for its role in slavery, the 150-year anniversary of abolition and the declared Slavery Memoria Year in the Netherlands. 

Speakers:

Kwesi Essel-Blankson – Regional Director at the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, museum educator, cultural heritage expert and professional tour guide. In addition to other high-profile personalities, he has been the tour guide of (former) President Barack Obama and family, (former First Lady) Melania Trump and most recently US vice president Kamala Harris when they’ve been to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana. 

Sirano Zalman – Founder and CEO of Access Suriname Travel. He is also co-owner and Director at Danpaati River Resort and Frederiksdorp Plantation Resort in Suriname. At Frederiksdorp Plantation, he has developed the ‘Story Musuem’ and most recently, developed the Boni Trail to tell the story of the legendary Maroon Surinamese freedom fighter against slavery in the 18th century. 

Questions? Please contact emmanuel.adu-ampong@wur.nl.