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This week, the Dutch King Willem-Alexander announced that the royal couple will not get into the controversial Golden Coach for the time being. The royal carriage will only be able to drive again when the Netherlands is ready for that, said the king on Thursday.
The carriage bears various references to the colonies of that time, including the much-discussed and controversial panel ‘Hulde der Koloniën’ from 1898. It shows how half-naked residents of Suriname, among others, offer gifts to the Dutch Virgin in a humble way.
A growing number of people therefore see the carriage as a loaded heritage, but how do people in Suriname themselves view the Golden Coach?
Surinamese filmmaker and journalist Kevin Headley presented a photo of the Tribute to the Colonies panel to four Surinamese: Rita Tjien Fooh, director of the Surinamese Archives, artist Raymil Nerkust, politician Steven Alfaisi and political scientist Imran Taus. They give their opinion on this in the video below.
This video was made in the context of the exhibition The Golden Coach at the Amsterdam Museum (June 2021 – February 2022):
