The museum aimed to use clear and straightforward language in the exhibition Shadows on the Atlantic. We also sought to choose words that would not offend visitors and that would not present colonial history in a more favorable light than it actually was. This required us to make deliberate choices. To do so, we consulted with experts from communities that still experience the effects of colonial history today, engaging in meaningful dialogue with them.
Our Word Choices
Enslaved People and People in Slavery
Since 2018, the museum has used the term "enslaved people" instead of "slaves." This emphasizes that enslavement is a result of human actions. A person is not inherently a slave but is forced into slavery by others. In the exhibition, we also use terms like "people in slavery" to continually remind visitors that the history of slavery is about people—about children, (grand)parents, brothers, and sisters.
Compound Terms Like 'Slave Ships'
In the exhibition, we still use compound terms such as "slave forts" to ensure readability. We may change this in the future.
Plantation
We are aware that in English-speaking countries, plantations are often referred to as "labor camps." However, since our audience may not yet be familiar with this term, we have retained the word "plantations" for now.
Kidnapping and Abduction
We have chosen to phrase passive constructions like "ships transported enslaved people" more directly in this exhibition, making clear who did what. We recognize that slave traders kidnapped and enslaved people, violently tearing families and communities apart. Words like "kidnap" and "abduct" convey this more clearly.
For the same reason, we often alternate "colonies" with "occupied territories."
Indigenous and First Inhabitants
In most cases, we prefer the term "first inhabitants" over "Indigenous." However, there is an exception. Descendants of original communities in Suriname consciously choose the word "Indigenous" for themselves, as do our experts from the Kaliña and Lokono communities. Therefore, you will sometimes see "Indigenous" in the exhibition.
We aim to refer to original communities by the names they use for themselves, being as specific as possible.
The Netherlands
In exhibition texts, we use contemporary country and region names to ensure today’s readers can easily relate. For example, we use "the Netherlands" instead of "the Dutch Republic."
Americas
In many texts, "America" often refers to the United States. We have chosen to use "the Americas" to emphasize that America encompasses a much larger area. In some parts of the exhibition, you will also see the term Abya Yala, chosen by an international congress of original communities to describe the same region.