De aanleg van een weg door contractarbeiders in Quala Bingei, Sumatra c. 1890 - 1900

Heinrich Ernst & Co. made this photograph titled "The construction of a road by contract workers in Quala Bingei, Sumatra." This image is a window into the complex history of colonialism and labor in Sumatra. The photo depicts a group of Indonesian contract laborers building a road; they are mostly dressed in light-colored clothing and hats, working under the supervision of what appear to be European overseers. Roads like this one were built to facilitate the movement of goods and resources, solidifying colonial control, but at what cost? The system of contract labor often exploited workers, subjecting them to harsh conditions and limited freedoms. This photograph then, is a stark reminder of the human cost of progress, raising critical questions about whose interests were served and who bore the burden. The image invites us to reflect on the relationship between power, progress, and human dignity. What does it mean to build a road, and who decides the terms of its construction?