Testimonies of Enslavement

Drawing on the rich archives of the Court of Justice of Cochin, a main settlement of the Dutch East India Company, this book presents ten court cases that deal with themes of enslavement and 'enslavebility'. Offering detailed insights into interrogations and testimonies, they paint a unique picture of the complex historical realities in which processes of enslavement and relations of slavery were shaped.
Each original Dutch transcript is followed by an English translation, shedding light on the interactions between local systems of bondage and global systems of commodified slavery, and providing a new perspective on the global history of slavery.Analysing slavery in the Indian Ocean and South Asia, these case studies examine the dynamics of bondage, caste and social control, while offering a counterpoint to the traditional focus on Atlantic slavery.

Matthias van Rossum is Senior Researcher at the International Institute of Social History, The Netherlands. His main areas of interest are Global Labour History with a focus on maritime labour history, coercion in labour relations and the dynamics of labour conflicts and social relations. Matthias has published extensively on the Dutch maritime history, the history of sailors and maritime labour markets in Asia, the history of globalisation, slavery and the slave trade.

Introduction: Exploring the history of slavery Case 1: The Abduction of Commena Case 2: Searching for Kalie Case 3: The Enslavement of Barrido Case 4: Falsification of a Slave Ola Case 5: Disputed Status Case 6: Proof of Enslavement Case 7: Fear and Escape Case 8: Slave of Free? Case 9: Retrieving Abducted Children Case 10: Value of 'Freedom' Conclusion: Reflecting on Trials of Enslavement Glossary Index