Start archival research in the Dutch colonies in Brazil

'Heritage and Identity' is one of the three research themes of the Centre for Global Heritage and Development. This theme includes many topics like  'migrant heritage', 'grassroots heritage' and 'digitization of heritage'. The TULIPANA project, within the theme of Heritage and Identity, tries to stimulate historical research and raise awareness of migration history and heritage. The Dutch colonies in Brazil are used as research case. 

Many activities have already taken place. Workshops were organized on archival description and conservation for volunteers of the local museums. The collection of historical photographs of Museum Holambra are being described and digitized. On june 3rd 2016 a book will be published about the most prominent Dutch colony in Brazil: Holambra

On april 25th antropologist Renate Stapelbroek (photo, http://www.tanterika.nl), whose family history is related to the Dutch settlers in Brazil, will travel to Brazil to make an inventory of archival sources available in six colonies: Holambra I, Holambra II, Castrolanda, Carambeí, Arapotí and Não-Me-Toque. 

Her work, supervised by Charles Jeurgens (Leiden University, Nationaal Archief), will result in a reseach guide that will help academics and anyone interested to start their research on the Dutch settlements in Brazil. It will complement the guide made by Lodewijk Hulsman (The New Holland Foundation) on sources available in the Netherlands dealing with Dutch group migration to Brazil. 

The research is made possible by the Netherlands Embassy in Brasilia (through the Mutual Cultural Heritage fund), the Centre for Global Heritage and Development and the Dutch colonies in Brazil. 

Renate Stapelbroek