Draft:Wange Hendrik Richard van Bali

Early Life
Wange Hendrik Richard van Bali was a free slave, born in the late 1790s on the island of Flores in the Indonesian archipelago. Known as Nai within his family, Wange lived in the village of "Leeot" alongside his father, grandmother, and two brothers, following the early loss of his mother.

Life As a Slave
The idyllic life in Leeot was disrupted when the specter of slavery loomed over the family. Despite the free status of their father, the ancestral connection to slavery through their mother's lineage rendered Wange and his brothers susceptible to being claimed as slaves. Financial constraints prevented the family from averting this fate, leading to the separation of the brothers and their sale to different slave owners on Flores.The documentation of Wange's enslavement reveals the fluid nature of identities within the slave trade. Names, including "Roke van Bima," changed hands frequently with each transaction, and references to places of origin were often ambiguous or incorrect.

Freedom and Transformation
In 1807, Dutch naval officer Jan Hendrik Bagelaar entered the narrative, purchasing Wange, now known as "Roke van Bima." Significantly, in 1818, Bagelaar emancipated Wange and presented him with a document chronicling the transactions as a tangible reminder of his past. By this time, Wange had chosen to be known by the name Richard, as evidenced by his signature.

Legacy and Historical Significance
The life of Wange Hendrik Richard van Bali serves as a poignant testament to the resilience of individuals ensnared in the harsh realities of the Dutch colonial-era slave trade in the Indonesian archipelago. His narrative provides insights into the complexities and hardships faced by those caught in the web of slavery, highlighting the adaptability and transformative nature of the human spirit.