Afbranden en transport van boomstammen ten behoeve van de aanleg van een rubberplantage van de Deli Maatschappij bij Soengei Tassik op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph, taken in Sumatra, Indonesia, shows the burning and transport of tree trunks for the Deli Company's rubber plantation. The anonymous photographer captured a scene of intensive labor, showing the cost of this natural resource at the turn of the century. The image foregrounds the manual labor of the native workers, dressed in simple garments, as they work to clear the land. Burning the tree trunks was a common practice to quickly dispose of the felled trees, preparing the land for planting. You can almost feel the weight of the logs, and the relentless labor required to move them. The black and white medium accentuates the harsh realities of the process, highlighting the contrast between the dark, charred wood and the lighter, bare skin of the workers. This image serves as a stark reminder of the human effort involved in the production of raw materials, and the social and environmental costs often hidden behind the veneer of consumer goods. It challenges us to consider the labor, politics, and consumption intertwined in our everyday lives.