Roeiboten met lokale bewoners langs zij van een aangemeerde grote stoomboot. 1900 - 1915

This photograph captures boats filled with local residents alongside a large steamship. The flags, symbols of national identity and power, immediately draw our attention to the complex dynamics at play here. Consider the flags that flutter atop the boats, emblems of nationhood and authority. These symbols can be traced back through history, echoing in medieval banners and Roman standards. The act of displaying a flag has always been a declaration of presence, a marking of territory, and an assertion of dominance. Flags, initially symbols of unity, can evolve into emblems of division and conquest, reminding us of the cyclical nature of power and identity. This tension – between belonging and exclusion, authority and subjugation – engages us on a subconscious level, stirring primal emotions linked to our own sense of place and identity. Like a recurring dream, such symbols persist, shape-shifting across time and culture, always carrying the weight of history within them.