Launch of OOSTCAST
Part of the team OOSTCAST - Straatnamen Indische Buurt during the launch 14 September 2023 at Javaplein
On 14 September 2023 Beyond Walls, BUROBRAAK, Van Gisteren and artists Fre Calmes, Nicky Saliha, Jerrold Saija and Gigi van Grevenbroek launched OOSTCAST - Straatnamen Indische Buurt.
Javastraat, Ambonplein, Sumatraplantsoen. These are just a few examples of street names in the ‘Indische Buurt’ in Amsterdam East. But did you know that they refer to an archipelago that is roughly 46 times the size of the Netherlands?
The Indische Buurt is home to numerous street names that are named after islands and regions in and around Indonesia. These names were given in the early 20th century when Indonesia was still under Dutch colonial occupation, known as the Dutch East Indies. Some of the street names still retain their colonial names. For instance, the island of Celebes is actually named Sulawesi, and the capital of Indonesia is no longer Batavia but Jakarta. This archipelago has a rich history with many cultures, languages, and ways of life. Long before the arrival of the Dutch and other European colonial powers, societies with Kingdoms and Sultanates thrived, global trade and cultural exchange flourished.
What are the stories behind these street names we all move through daily? Find out through the Walking Tour, an exhibition and podcast! Go to OOSCAST.
Onderzoek, samenstelling en eindredactie content: Suzanne Rastovac en Jeremy Flohr (Beyond Walls)
Inhoudelijk advies en klankbord: Wim Manuhutu
Ondersteuning onderzoek: Daimy Comijs
Redactie: Agnes Cremers en Mark Bergsma (Van Gisteren)
OOSTCAST Street Names of the Indische Buurt is a collaboration between BUROBRAAK (concept, design, and execution), Beyond Walls (content, final editing, and podcast), and Van Gisteren (editing), made possible by the City of Amsterdam and Amsterdam's 750th anniversary celebration. OOSTCAST is linked to WESTCAST and started with a motion by BIJ1 and GroenLinks in 2018 to investigate the colonial street names in Amsterdam. Read more about this here (in Dutch).
