Five centuries ago, European sailors desperately tried to find their way to the Spice Islands, especially the Bandas in the Moluccas. In the process, the globe was successfully circumnavigated and the world’s first multinational corporation was founded—deemed as important milestones in the history of globalization, modern economy, and capitalism. But the price was more high: with genocide, enslavement, and the brutal oppression of the islanders. These days, however, the Bandas are nothing more than a backwater. This Magazine tells the story about the islands and the people—their past and present.