Out now: Jeangu Macrooy's full band live video of 'Gold', which was released to commemorate Keti Koti. I'm proud to have been able to realise and direct this video together with Jeangu Macrooy!
Every year, on Keti Koti, we celebrate the fact that The Netherlands abolished slavery in Suriname and the Antilles on July 1st, 1863, and commemorate those who suffered in slavery. Slavery is an ineradicable part of the shared history between the Netherlands and its former colonies. However, the vast majority of Dutch people are not aware of what Keti Koti is; something we intend to change with the release of this live video.
Jeangu wrote 'Gold' shortly after he moved to The Netherlands from his native Suriname six years ago. It tells about the confrontation he felt with the absence of awareness in regards to the relation between Dutch wealth and the country's colonial history.
The live video was filmed at Museum Van Loon, located in one of the many richly decorated 17th century canal houses on the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam. Museum van Loon previously was the residence of the powerful Amsterdam regent family Van Loon. Members of the Van Loon family were co-founders of the VOC (Dutch East India Company), directors of the WIC (Dutch West India Company, specialising amongst other things in slave trade) and directors of the Society of Suriname. The history of the house, as well as the stories of the shared colonial history exhibited in the museum, make the location a symbolic place when it comes to this subject.
