A great time travel trip back to the Tobacco culture in the Dutch East Indies around 1920 in color!
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Published 2022-08-25
Under Dutch rule, the cultivation of spices, herbs and especially tobacco formed the most important pillar for economic growth and increased prosperity, both for the Dutch colonists as for the local population.
We take a trip by train into the interior of one of the Indonesian islands, probably Java, to see the tobacco culture at first hand.
The whole cultivation process is shown in chronological order, from the moment the tabacco seeds are planted until the final processing stage.
To large extent this film is self-explanatory. One of the remarkable observations that can be made is the extensive use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Probably a pesticide called "Schweinfurter", also called "Paris Green", was used to eradicate insect and rodent damage to the tobacco plants.
It is a highly toxic emerald-green crystalline powder invented in 1814 by two chemists, Russ and Sattler from Schweinfurt in Bavaria.
Also remarkable is the use of Sulfur powder, which seems to have also been used extensively as insecticide. In the film boys can be seen spreading sulfur powder over the leaves of the tobacco plants. Other children can be seen collecting catterpillars and other destructive insects.
For more details, please watch the film without further narration and read the explanatory information in the CC captions while the film plays.
Final comment: In 1948 the Netherlands gave up rule over the Dutch East Indies after enormous pressure by the United Nations, driven by the agressive, hard-handed way in which the Dutch tried to regain controll after the Japanese occupation during WW-II. A period that the Dutch cannot be proud of.
Note: Please refrain from discussing the negative effects of colonialisme and the Dutch rule over Indonesia. It was a different era with different customs, practices and living conditions. Judging the past by looking at it through present day eyes, and projecting current norms and values will not lead to a better understanding of life in that period of history. In stead, take this time travel trip and try to soak up the whole atmosphere of how life used to be in Indonesia a century ago.
Music: Edward Karl Hanson & Sight of Wonders
Source: Beeld En Geluid.
All Comments (21)
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Please don't forget to subscribe to my channel ! and please listen to my comment at the end of this video: We can't change history, and the main purpose of this channel is to show what the world really was like about a century ago in stead of (mis)judging historic events against present day morals, norms and values. My apologies for not using original Indonesian music. The reason is that there simply wasn't any such music available in the copyright-free music database that I use and pay for. Making creative stuff for Youtube is bound to all sorts of restrictions: I can't use any copyrighted music, I cannot use any footage that is already somewhere on Youtube and restoring, enhancing & colorizing footage is not enough despite the huge effort, so hence all the recent documentary-style uploads with spoken commentary!
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A great pleasure watching. Thank you.
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Powerful words at the end!
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The ending comment - Well said!
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My Dad side of the family are from Dutch East Indies Medan Sumatra.He migranted to Noord Holland Wormerveer in 60s.He did his Dutch Army compulsory service in 60s West Germany for NATO.He moved to Adelaide Australia in 60s Regards from de Vries family
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You sir have truly done something remarkable here. Thank you for showing the world all of these restored parts of history!
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wow I'm Dutch and my forefathers were from here too.. thank you
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That's what you call backbreaking work. Wow!
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Thank you so much.
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Beautiful world, thank you.
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Marvelous footage ! I think it is very important to have access to images of the past in such high quality, so that the world that was can be relived and maybe better understood by the present generation. I agree with your view that this was another time and we should not refrain for seing it like it was, unbiased. Please keep up the good work!
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Amazing restoration of this footage, futureproofing it for the kids who grew up on 1080p and 4k!
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Je voegt echt iets waardevols toe aan Youtube. Niet alleen de beelden, maar ook de boodschap. Dankjewel!
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Wow! You still amaze me with every new video you post. This looks like it was filmed this week. That gorgeous waterfall. WOW! Incredible, Rick. Great narration and love the opening music.
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Fascinating stuff. I for one had little understanding of the process- but your wonderful narration and description helped greatly. Many thanks, this really was wonderful.
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Amazing footage history truly is a fabulous thing
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Wow! Back-breaking work. Thank science for technology.
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my back is hurting just watching those guys work. I wonder how many toes / feet were lost
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Bedankt voer de toevoeging van de wijze woorden aan het einde. Zoals met al je films, heb ik weer gebiologeerd zitten kijken.
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Dit is een buitengewoon mooi film document. Van harte proficiat voor de restauratie en coloring van deze film. Dank.
