Can we write the biography of a tree? And what can a tree tell us about history? This seminar proposes an approach to tracing the entangled histories of ecological transformation in Indonesia, focusing specifically on Buru Island—a space where colonial capitalism, postcolonial disorientation, forced mobilities, and exploitative development converged to shape the island’s history. 

I argue that the most effective way to understand this socio-ecological entanglement is by following the life of Melaleuca leucadendra, commonly known as the kayu putih tree. Endemic to Buru Island, this plant serves as the primary source of kayu putih oil. The trajectory of kayu putih exposes a continuous imagination of exploitation and the idea of space on Buru Island, wherein both the local population and the land itself are consistently marginalized. This historical continuity spans colonial expeditions and the commodification of kayu putih, the pre-independence economization of the island, the forced labor camps of the New Order regime, and subsequent transmigration projects. Ultimately, the kayu putih tree also delivers a sobering message about the future—a moment when Indonesians may no longer be able to rely on the soothing presence of its oil.

Speaker

Grace Leksana is an Assistant Professor of Indonesian History in the History & Art History Department at Utrecht University. Her research focuses on the history and memory of violence, place-based knowledge, and the cultural politics of food and plants. Employing microhistory and oral history methods, she explores "voices from below" that are often marginalized in mainstream historiography. She is the author of Memory culture of the anti-leftist violence in Indonesia: Embedded remembering (Amsterdam University Press, 2023). 

Moderator

T.b.a.

Format, date, time & venue

This seminar is a hybrid event and will be held in the conference room of KITLV, Herta Mohr building, room 1.30, Witte Singel 27 A, Leiden and online via Zoom, on Thursday 4 June from 15.30–17.00 PM (CET).  

Anniversary Seminar Series

In 2026, KITLV will celebrate its 175th anniversary. The Members’ Association / Vereniging KITLV and the Institute KITLV are organizing an Anniversary Seminar Series to mark the occasion.

In the Anniversary Seminar Series, we invite people who have worked at KITLV in the past 25 years, visited us as fellows, or have been involved in joint research projects. Naturally, we strive to cover our wide range of disciplines, topics, and backgrounds. We invite speakers to present current or recent research to an audience of academics and others who are interested. Reflections on whether and how the connection with KITLV has led to or influenced that research are welcome. To cater to an international audience, the series will be in English and can be attended both physically and digitally.

Image

Kayu Putih tree on top of an excavated soil, Buru island. Source: Grace Leksana.