JAMESTOWN APOLOGY

by: Dutch Reconciliation Coalition
date: 6/6/2007
Category: Reconciliation

Address to the AriseAmerica Conference, including a Dutch Apology Statement, Virginia USA, June 9th 2007.

We do thank you for the invitation to be with you today.

We thank the Lord with you for this historical event, in which many of the peoples involved can come together before the Lord in repentance over the mistakes, the sins and the unrighteousness committed in the past. The Dutch had their share in that. With you we have to evaluate our history.
We are convinced that without confession of our sins, to the Lord and to each other, disintegration of a nation will follow. Without reconciliation there is no hope for the future. We want to put the hope for our nations in the Cross on which Jesus died also for corporate sins.

We are thankful that you allow us to take part in this process of confessing sins, and asking forgiveness.

From the outset commercial interests characterized the Dutch presence on your East coast. In giving priority to these interests, over the religious and humanitarian aspects, people in your nation suffered.

Therefore we humbly present to you a formal, but truly heartfelt, apology statement concerning the major mistakes we, the Dutch, have made.

1 Apology Statement concerning Dutch slave trade.
In 1619, according to a diary note of John Rolfe and a letter by John Pory, a Dutch ship discharged about 20 Africans as slaves in Jamestown.
Because it was a well-armed ship, it has been suggested that it was a man of war. Later research showed that it probably was the Dutch pirate ship Trier that obtained the ”goods”, the African men and women, through piracy from the Portuguese.
But from 1624 onwards, not haphazard pirates but Dutch merchants of the Dutch West Indies Company imported Africans as slaves to New Amsterdam (now Manhattan), to work for the West Indies Company. Sometimes these slaves were hired out to colonists, sometimes they were deployed as military.
According to rule, some or all were released after certain years of service. After the legalization of slave trade by the Dutch, many more Africans were imported, mainly through ports in the West Indies.
At that time there were in The Netherlands enough public voices to denounce slave trade on biblical and humanitarian grounds. Nevertheless, against our corporate conscience, we persevered in this evil trade.
Our Dutch delegation has come to say that we are ashamed of this behavior.
We confess it as corporate sin against you, former and present African-Americans. On behalf of the Dutch Reconciliation Coalition, and with the support of houses of Prayer, prayer organizations and the Dutch Evangelical Alliance, we ask the Lord and you, African Americans, to forgive us.

2 Apology Statement concerning Dutch behavior against the First Nations.
In the Manhattan region the Dutch settlers pursued peaceful relationships with the First Nations; with the Mohawks they had a kind of treaty of assistance and protection; the Wappinger tribe desired this also.
However, in 1643 the Mohawks tribe tried to collect the tribute for the Federacy of First Nations but, as far as we understand, the Wappingers refused the contribution and attacked the Mohawks.
The Dutch came to the aid of the Mohawks, and helped them to kill off the Wappingers. The Dutch even mockingly used some of the Wappinger skulls as soccer balls. Later the Dutch broke their connections with and even their promises to the Mohawks. Our research into the Dutch involvement with the First Nations is limited; further research may surface other facts to be confessed.

From the earliest outset the Dutch have sold alcohol to the First Nations; the centers New Amsterdam (later New York) and Fort Orange (Albany, NY) were known for it. This trade was pursued in manipulative ways and not minding the destructive effects.
At that time in The Netherlands there were enough public voices to denounce the abuse of alcohol on biblical and humanitarian grounds. Nevertheless, against our corporate conscience, we persevered in distribution of alcohol for economic and political reasons.

Our Dutch delegation has come to say that we are deeply ashamed of both types of behavior. We confess it as corporate sins against you, First Nations of America. On behalf of the Dutch Reconciliation Coalition, and with the support of houses of Prayer, prayer organizations and the Dutch Evangelical Alliance, we ask the Lord and you, descendants and representatives of the First Nations, to forgive us.

3 Finally
As a token of our desire to honor you we want to present to you as a gift a copy of the Bible. In fact that should have been all we ever brought, instead of slaves and liquor. This copy of the Bible is illustrated by pictures of our famous painter Rembrandt, born in the very year of 1607! Rembrandt loved the Lord, his Word, and all races of humanity, as so clearly shows in the choice of his objects.

We, Dutchmen, want to stand with you at this memorable moment of your history. May the Love of God and His love for all nations guide you from here onward.

Thank you.

(Presented at the AriseAmerica Conference June 9th, 2007, by de Dutch delegation, consisting of Wout Bouwman, representative of the Dutch Reconciliation Coalition (VCN) and chairman of the Foundation Penance and Reconciliation; Helene Bos, co-founder of VCN and co-director of “Serving the Nations”, and Aafke Stoppels, member of the Foundation Penance and Reconciliation.

For further contact: Wout Bouwman, weefout@zonnet.nl and Pieter Bos - research and draft apology statement - phb@servingthenations.org)

[^ top]