Pagina 83 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph by J.W. Meyster is part of a photo book documenting the East Coast of Sumatra’s General Association of Rubber Planters. The image shows a seedbed of palms imported from Africa. This photograph gives us insight into the colonial landscape of Sumatra at the time. These rubber plantations represent the exploitation of land and labor, primarily of the indigenous population, for economic gain. The import of African palm trees underscores the global reach of colonial enterprises, and how they reshaped local ecologies and economies. Consider the human figure standing beside one of the trees, seemingly dwarfed by the scale of the plantation, a subtle comment on individual versus industry. The photograph's aesthetic of neat rows and manicured landscapes masks a troubling history of displacement and oppression. This image serves as a stark reminder of the environmental and human costs often hidden behind the veneer of progress.