Maaike Derksen on Dutch Colonialism as 'Embodied Encounters'

 Today I attended the live-stream examination of the doctoral dissertation by Maaike Derksen at Radboud University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The title if the dissertation is Embodied Encounters. Colonial Governamentality and Missionary Practices in Java and South Dutch New Guinea, 1856-1942. 

The title refers to the book on British colonialism: Missions and Empire, where it is stressed that the missionary enterprise was not just a religious activity, but had connections in the spread of Western cultural practices, education. Two chapters of the book concentrate on the Catholic mission in Java, mostly on the Jesuits and their schools in Muntilan and the Heithuyzen (now Semarang) Sisters and their boarding school in Mendut (see the book by Mangunwijaya Ballada Dara-dara Mendut). Two more chapters concentrate on the difficult start of mission (and colonialism per se) in Merauke, to guarantee the Eastern border of the Dutch colony since 1905 and stop head hunting by the local tribe of the Marind Anim.

The pictures are the reality of zoom presentation. In fact Maaike Derksen is a convincing and very lively speaking person and she showed a deep affection to her subject. Missionary activity was not only an expansion of Catholicism (it was today all very Catholic, with few references to the Protestant missions). Colonialism was here mostly seen as a cultural project (ethical policy!) and mission with its education, hospitals and close encounter with people of Western life style, was part of it. Even the terminology of 'soft colonialism' has been used here for the involvement of religious organizations in the colonial world. 

In the 50 minutes of academic questions and answers not much specific could be questioned: after eleven years of work on the dissertation, this was only the closing ceremony with some 30 people in the huge room and some more (perhaps) watching through the zoom technology. Derksen wants to continue her work  by GEDINMU: Gedeeld Erfgoed Delen: Indonesische/Nederlandse Missiecollecties Uitgewisseld, a programme of exchange of data of Dutch archives with Indonesian researchers.  Yesterday I received an interesting request in this field: the Indonesian PRR Sisters of East Flores (Lebau/Larantuka) hope that their founder, Archbishop Gabriel Manek will be given the honour of being a saint of the Catholic Church. Therefore they look for documents from/about him, as many as possible. I will look for more material, although it will take some time (and money in Rome!) to have a true Saint Gabriel Manek in Larantuka!