Ontspoorde wagons bij spoorwegongeluk bij Das Poort in Zuid-Afrika 1902 - 1905

Curator: Looking at this gelatin silver print from around 1902 to 1905, we see “Ontspoorde wagons bij spoorwegongeluk bij Das Poort in Zuid-Afrika,” which translates to "Derailment of wagons in a railway accident at Das Poort in South Africa." It offers a fascinating glimpse into transport history, but also raises questions about colonial infrastructure. Editor: My initial gut feeling is... disorder amidst the serene landscape. The wagons are jumbled, chaotic. But in the background, the hills and the sky just hang there, indifferent almost, like a stage set for the drama of human error. Curator: Exactly. The setting provides context, emphasizing the accident's intrusion on an established social and physical space. Railways in colonial contexts often highlight resource exploitation, reflecting deeper socio-political tensions and impacts on local communities. The photo probably had significance as a way to disseminate info. Editor: The oxen! See them? So many of them. They were probably used as laborers to get this all cleared away. Looking at those patient creatures makes you ponder. In a strange, simple way they also "live" through this tragic experience alongside those people. They were as vital for constructing those railroad lines in the first place. Curator: The image becomes powerful by focusing on labour. The teams of workers seem to work around a damaged train and derailed wagons. We can't really decipher what they are moving but, for all we know, it could be resources meant for someone else rather than their families. Editor: So true! And looking closely at their bodies bent under pressure while trying to move derailed objects fills me with... awe, and even concern about how we have made advancements over time to prevent that human price from repeating itself. This image becomes less about blame and starts transforming towards what price should society value life? Curator: Definitely a reminder to think about labor, global extraction of resources, and photography as propaganda in the history of this era. It all still shapes the present! Editor: The quiet desperation is palatable even now. It makes me remember to question 'progress,' which always extracts hidden costs and what those end up amounting to.