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The Caryatids of Batavia: reproduction, religion and acculturation under the V.O.C.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2010

Leonard Blussé
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Extract

It is often claimed that the absence, or bias, of sources makes the writing of a balanced history of women impossible. This kind of reasoning is not new. The same has been propounded about the writing of the history of the proletariat, colonized peoples and other downtrodden groups. When invited to contribute a paper on the women of ancient regime Batavia I was initially strongly reminded of this complaint1. Travel accounts that have come down to us in printed sources yield quite a substantial amount of information, as generations of visitors to early Batavia witnessed and described with astonishment the behaviour of the dark-skinned Portuguesespeaking consorts that made up the female side of Dutch colonial society in Batavia. Without exception their verdict was harsh. Chewing betel nuts, associating with their slavegirls and devoid of any intelligent conversation, not to speak of acceptable table manners, the Batavian daughters formed a laughing stock to European writers. Nothing would be easier than to present an anthology of these, often quite entertaining anecdotes. The dilemma of course that such an account would be one-sided and coloured if it were merely based on descriptions and explanations by males, outsiders who obviously did not belong to the world of women that we intend to study.

Type
Articles
Information
Itinerario , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , March 1983 , pp. 57 - 85
Copyright
Copyright © Research Institute for History, Leiden University 1983

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References

Notes

1. This is the lengthened and annotated English version of the original paper in French presented at the French-Dutch historical conference, Les Femmes aux Colonies (Groningen22–2409 1982).Google Scholar A conference report by Regine Goutalier has appeared in Itinerario 1982–2.

2. Jonge, J. K. J. de, De opkomst van net Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indië, 1865, 's-Gravenhage, Vol. III, p. 55.Google Scholar

3. Jonge, J. K. J. de, Opkomst, Vol. III, p. 135.Google Scholar

4. “Vertoogh van de staet der Vereenichde Nederlanden in de quartieren van Oost-Indien” (24–11–1623) in Colen-brander, H. T. ed., Jan PieterszoonCoen, Bescheiden omtrent zijn bedrijf in Indie, 's-Gravenhage 1922, Vol. IV, p. 594.Google Scholar see also for his earlier plans for instance Colenbrander, H. T., Jan Pietersz. Coen, Vol. VI, p. 199Google Scholar.

5. Boxer, C. R., Mary and Misogyny, Women in Iberian Expansion Overseas 1415–1815, London 1975, pp. 63–64.Google Scholar

6. Colenbrander, H. T., Jan Pietersz. Coen, Vol. I, p. 644.Google Scholar

7. Jonge, J. K. J. de, Opkomst, Vol. IV, p.c. XXXIX.Google Scholar

8. Colenbrander, H. T., Jan Pietersz. Coen, Vol. VI, pp. 269–270.Google Scholar

9. Wall, V. I. van de, Vrovwen uit de Compagnie's tijd, Wel-tevreden 1923, p. 40.Google Scholar

10. Colenbrander, H. T., Jan Pietersz.Coen, Vol. I, pp. 731–732.Google Scholar

11. Keyzer, S., ed., Francois Valentijn's Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien, 's-Gravenhage 1858, Vol. III, p. 532.Google Scholar

12. Boxhorn, , Commentariolus de statu confoederatorwn provin-ciarum Belgii, Hagae 1654, p. 81.Google Scholar

For the infertility of European women also see Josaphat Geerdings, “Cort discours over de Populatie van Indien opgedragen aan de Heeren Meesters bij Josaphat Geer-dings”, Algemeen Rijksarchief (ARA), VOC 1110, fol. 503–508 and J.K.J. de Jonge, “Geschiedkundig onderzoek om-trent de vroeger genomen proeven van volksplanting in de Nederlandse Oost-Indische bezittingen” in Verslag aan den koning uitgebracht door de Staatscommissie … be-treffende Europeesche kolonisatie, Den Haag 1858, p. 136.

13. The Sara Specx case is particularly well documented. The most incisive remarks about this drama are without doubt those by Gerretson, C., Coens Eerherstel, Amsterdam 1944, pp. 52–96.Google Scholar

14. “Brieven en Papieren na d'Oostindiën”, ARA, VOC 315. un-foliated.

15. Jonge, J.K.J. de, Opkomst, Vol. V, p. CII.Google Scholar

16. Jonge, J.K.J. de, Opkomst, Vol. V, p. 219.Google Scholar

17. “Indian in this context of course meant Asian.” Brieven en Papieren na d'Oostindien”, letter of 2–9–1634, ARA, VOC fol. 46.

18. Jonge, J.K.J. de, Opkomst, Vol. V, p. 245.Google Scholar

19. Letter of 31–8–1643 in Manuscript H 45. KITLV collection, Leiden.

20. Charles de Lannoy et Linden, Herman van der, Histoire de 1'expansioncoloniale des peuples europeens, Portugal et Espagne, Bruxelles 1907, p. 172.Google Scholar

21. For a short history of the Portuguese church see Haan, F. de, De Portugese buitenkerk, Batavia 1898.Google Scholar

22. Chijs, J.A. van der, Nederlandsch-Indisch Plakaatboek 1602–1811, Vol. I, pp. 82, and 99–101.Google Scholar

23. Resolution of Governor-General and Council 7–10–1639, ARA, VOC 662, unfoliated.

Catrina must have been quite a charming woman in all respects. In the Acta it is mentioned on 20–10–1625 that Van Diemen and Specx conversed with her too frequently, see Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen voor de geschiedenis der Pro-testantsche Kerk in Nederlandsch-Indie, Weltevreden 1927–1931, Vol. I, p. 224.Google Scholar

24. Actum 1–4–1626 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 284.Google Scholar

25. Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 319.Google Scholar

26. Actum 11–3–1647 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. II, p. 37.Google Scholar

27. Actum 11–2–1627 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 277.Google Scholar

28. Actum 9–8–1629 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 320.Google Scholar

29. Actum 9–8–1629 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 320.Google Scholar

30. Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, pp. 215–216.Google Scholar

31. Actum 25–8–1631 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 425.Google Scholar

32. Actum 28–4–1642 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 604.Google Scholar

33. Resolution Heeren XVII 15–1–1654, Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 53.Google Scholar

34. Maunier, René, Sociologie Coloniale, Paris 1932, p. 183.Google Scholar

35. Report of 2–12–1652, Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. II, p. 264.Google Scholar

36. Enklaar, I.H., De scheidingder Sacramenten op het zen-dingsveld, Amsterdam 1947, p. 36.Google Scholar

37. Enklaar, I.H., Scheiding, p. 53.Google Scholar

38. Actum 6–11–1625 in Mooy, J., Bouwstoffen, Vol. I, p. 227.Google Scholar

39. ARA, VOC 1105, f. 333.

For more details on the school and the spinhuis (the penal institution for drunk and adulterous women) see Jean Stewart Taylor, The SocialWorld of Batavia, A History of Mestizo Culture in Dutch Asia, Wisconsin-Madison 1978, a fine doctoral thesis with many references concerning the female side of the Dutch colonial elite.