Linked by heritage: Tobago and the Netherlands

DR RITA PEMBERTON

The history of Tobago intersects with that of the Netherlands because of Dutch imperial ambitions in the region, expressed in the 17th century Dutch colonising efforts in the Caribbean. The Dutch made several attempts to create a colony in Tobago and were not dissuaded by the resistance they received from the resident First People communities, who acted in concert with those from other territories in the region and from their European competitors. Eventually, the Dutch did succeed in establishing thriving plantations producing sugar, tobacco, ginger and indigo for export to Europe. But they were unable to maintain possession of Tobago because of the intense rivalry of their European competitors. Ultimately, it was their defeat by the French at what has been called the Battle of Tobago that permanently terminated Dutch colonising efforts on Tobago in 1677.

In an effort to ensure there was no Dutch resurgence on the island, the French removed visible signs of the Dutch presence by destroying the Dutch buildings, settlements and plantations and replacing place names of streets and districts. What remains identifiable today are place names such as Dutch Fort and Jan de Moor. But while it might appear that the Dutch presence on the island was permanently removed, visible terrestrial sources constitute one of the sources of history and conclusions should not be drawn, particularly for island communities, without reference to and examination of other sources.

In a series of ten lectures on the Dutch presence in Tobago and the Caribbean, conducted from November 2021 to February 2022, a team of international researchers presented their findings on Dutch colonial activity in the region. Their research was based on sources culled from archives, including marine archives in the Netherlands, France, the UK, and the Dutch Caribbean territories and was supported by marine archaeological field research in Tobago. These lectures demonstrates that in addition to written archival and oral sources and land based archaeological investigations, marine archaeology is another important area for islands and marine communities.

It indicated that strategic considerations were also important factors in Dutch and European interest in Tobago. The island’s geographical location out of the path of other islands made it approachable without being detected, and ideal for making surprise attacks on enemies who occupied the island. Tobago was also an important port of call for passing fleets which needed to undertake repairs and to refresh their water and other supplies.

The first lecture on the Archaeology of a Naval Battle was given by Professor Kroum Batchvarov, who participated in the Scarborough Harbour project. He presented the findings of underwater research in the Scarborough harbour and demonstrated the importance of maritime archaeology for the history and heritage of Tobago. The naval battle was fought between the Dutch and French and terminated Dutch colonising ventures in Tobago. It was considered a major confrontation because of the high death rate – 450 people perished. All the women and children on the Dutch colony and enslaved Africans who had been captured from the French colonies were moved to one ship for their safety. But the ship caught a fire and everyone on board died. The French were able to withdraw all their forces, including the soldiers who were landed, so the casualties were primarily Dutch. This battle was the basis for a documentary entitled Drama called Tobago.

The battle was fought in Rockly Bay, also known as Red Rock Bay or Rudklyp Baay. Although the Dutch were prepared for a land-based battle and expected to use their fleet to hold of the enemy, the French landed troops equipped with more fighting forces and a larger fleet than that of the Dutch, and were prepared for war at sea. The largest ship in the Dutch fleet, the Hus de Kruiningen, was built in the 1650s to accommodate 300 men and 56 cannon. It sank and has been an object of research interest since. According to international law, it remains a Dutch possession.

A diving exercise revealed the existence of material culture located at the bottom of the sea in the Scarborough harbour. This included guns and weapons, ballast tools, utensils, medicine jars, and the remnants of a fort that was under construction by the Dutch. Some of the items were removed from the seabed and brought to the surface for display. However there was no facility in place to house them so they were returned to the seabed.

Underwater research of maritime archaeology is important for a full revelation of the island’s heritage. But the marine artefacts were submerged under the port facilities of the Scarborough harbour and are in the direct path of the manoeuvring ferries. When anchor is dropped and dragged along the sea bed, destruction of the artefacts is inevitable. Some destruction also occurred when the port was under construction. But the artefacts remain there for the time being.

Professor Batchvarov described the Scarborough harbour as “a huge graveyard,” and ideal for a monument to the people who died there. But, he said, it is important that the material be conserved to prevent further loss.

The lecture, as did others in the series, identifies the existence of an underwater heritage on the island that is not necessarily exclusive to the Scarborough harbour, and points to the need for more resources to be deployed for maritime archaeological research on the island

The problem now is how to recover the underwater heritage, which clearly creates a conflict between present-day development needs and the preservation of the heritage of the past. While the development needs must be given priority, the preservation of the heritage could be achieved by the excavation of the material and their preservation. This will require the services of a professional conservator, the provision of a conservation laboratory with a water supply to be used for desalination of the artefacts, and a plan for funding and preservation of the island’s material culture.

In addition to providing more historical information, marine archaeology offers possibilities for reshaping Tobago’s tourism product. It can extend the range of dive tourism, generate more employment for divers and for people to staff the conservation laboratory. There are implications for education and training on the island with an increased focus on archaeology, both terrestrial and marine, which can create more relevant career opportunities for young people on the island. Marine archaeology also reveals that the Dutch presence in Tobago did not die in 1677, for despite all appearances, there exists a permanent link between the heritage of Tobago and that of the Netherlands.