Wachtenden, mogelijk Chinese contractarbeiders, op de kade van Belawan (boven) en gezicht op die haven (onder) before 1898

Carl Kleingrothe created this composite photograph of Belawan Harbour in Sumatra, Indonesia. The image invites us to consider the socio-economic system of indentured labour in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the upper half, we see a group of men, likely Chinese contract labourers, waiting on the quay, laden with their belongings. The Dutch flag flies high above them, a clear symbol of colonial power. Below, the harbour scene shows ships at dock, ready to transport both goods and people. This photograph can be read as a visual document of the colonial system, capturing a moment in the history of global labour migration. By researching the archives of the Dutch East India Company and the stories of the Chinese diaspora, we can better understand the complex dynamics of power, exploitation, and resistance that shaped this era. The social role of art invites questions about the human consequences of economic expansion.