On Saturday 1 July, we celebrate Keti Koti and commemorate the abolition of slavery. This year marks exactly 150 years since then. Keti Koti means 'broken chains', referring to the shackles with which the enslaved were chained. The Oude Kerk is in the middle of a city with a colonial past. In many ways, this history can also be found in the Oude Kerk. For this reason, the Oude Kerk organises a special programme of guided tours in which we reflect on this.
When: Saturday 1 July
Where: Oudekersplein 23
Start times: 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00
Participation: Free entry with a valid admission ticket for the Oude Kerk. Please report at the entrance.
Colonial history and the Oude Kerk
The Oude Kerk has been embellished since the 17th century partly thanks to the proceeds of major trading companies (such as the VOC and the WIC). Among the estimated 60,000 people buried in the Oude Kerk, we so far know of only one person of colour: Jacob Matroos Beeldsnijder. On the other hand, grave monuments, tombstones, stained glass windows and panels with coats of arms of various families have been immortalised in the Oude Kerk, some of whom were closely involved in slavery and exploitation. Thus, the Oude Kerk is a reminder of a painful part of history, an ongoing subject of reflection for us. In recent years, the Oude Kerk has collaborated with several artists whose work has paid attention to colonial history and its repercussions in the present.
