31-12-2024 (JAKARTA) Hundreds of Indonesian artefacts have made their long-awaited return to their homeland after more than a century abroad, now proudly displayed at Jakarta’s National Museum. The collection, predominantly consisting of items taken during Dutch colonial rule, represents a significant milestone in Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to reclaim its cultural heritage.
The exhibition showcases an impressive array of cultural treasures, from intricate jewellery and ancient coins to centuries-old textiles, offering visitors a comprehensive glimpse into Indonesia’s rich historical tapestry. Among the most striking exhibits are the imposing Hindu-Buddhist statues from East Java’s Singasari temple complex, which stand as silent witnesses to the archipelago’s spiritual past.
Perhaps the most poignant pieces in the collection are those known as the “Lombok treasure”, forcibly removed by Dutch forces from the Tjakranegara Palace and surrounding settlements following the 1894 Lombok War. Similarly evocative are artefacts from the Puputan Badung war collection, obtained during Dutch military operations in Bali.
The repatriation also includes the notable 132 Pita Maha collection, which, unlike many other pieces, was not seized but had remained in the Netherlands since its exhibition there in 1948. Its return marks a diplomatic triumph in cultural cooperation between the two nations.
Heritage experts have lauded this transfer as a watershed moment in Indonesia’s cultural preservation efforts. Since establishing a dedicated repatriation committee in 2021, Indonesia has successfully secured the return of 828 cultural objects as of December 2023. This follows the earlier repatriation of 1,500 items from the former Nusantara Museum in Delft in 2020.
I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, who heads the Committee for the Repatriation of Indonesian Collections in the Netherlands, emphasised the rigorous process behind each return. “Each item must meet strict criteria, including evidence of historical injustice, and undergo thorough provenance research to verify its authenticity”, he explained.
The National Museum now faces the challenge of preserving these precious artefacts in Jakarta’s tropical climate. Gunawan, the museum’s collection management chief, highlighted the specific environmental controls required: “We’re implementing sophisticated conservation measures to protect both organic and inorganic materials from Indonesia’s high humidity levels”.
