Paul en Lucie Sandel op plankier met buitgemaakte krokodil , op de achtergrond de Sandelbrug in de Wampoe rivier, Tandjong Poera, Langkat Sumatra c. 1900 - 1910

This photograph, taken in Langkat Sumatra by Heinrich Ernst & Co, captures Paul and Lucie Sandel posing with a captured crocodile against the backdrop of the Sandelbrug in the Wampoe river. The image is a stark reminder of the colonial presence in Sumatra and its impact on the local ecosystem and communities. The slain crocodile becomes a symbol of domination, its capture framed as a triumph over nature, subtly reinforcing the colonial narrative of superiority. The photograph seems to endorse the colonizers’ perceived right to exploit and control the natural resources of the region. The Sandels, dressed in immaculate white, stand in sharp contrast to the dark, lifeless body of the reptile, underscoring the racial and cultural power dynamics at play. What does it mean to parade such a conquest? What does it mean to the defeated? The image becomes a silent yet potent commentary on themes of power, exploitation, and cultural encounter during the colonial era.