Netherlands to Return Indonesian Artifacts by December 2024 in Major Repatriation

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – In a significant development for cultural relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, Dutch Deputy Minister of Culture and Media, Barbera Wolfensberger, confirmed that a new batch of Indonesian artifacts will be returned to Indonesia by the end of December 2024. This marks the third wave of repatriation, a major step in restoring valuable cultural items to their rightful place.

Wolfensberger revealed at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta that the artifacts, some of which have been on display in various Dutch museums, would be shipped back to Indonesia in the third week of December. Although she did not specify the exact items, she mentioned that over a hundred historical objects would be included in this repatriation wave, which have previously been exhibited in places like the city of Rotterdam.

The deputy minister expressed her strong belief that these cultural items should have never left Indonesia in the first place. “These artifacts belong here, in Indonesia. It is good to finally see them returned, where they can be displayed in the proper context, in their country of origin,” she stated.

This repatriation also symbolizes an important phase in strengthening ties between Indonesia and the Netherlands, particularly in the fields of museum studies and archaeological education. Both countries have been collaborating extensively, with experts exchanging knowledge about the origins and history of the Nusantara artifacts.

In a conversation on December 5, 2024, Indonesian Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, confirmed that within the next two to three weeks, the next wave of artifacts would arrive, including crucial pieces from the Volkenkunde Museum and other collections from various Dutch institutions. Among the notable items to be returned are the legendary kris (traditional dagger) of Prince Diponegoro, known as “Nogo Siluman,” and the kris of Teuku Umar.