The periodical press in the former Dutch colonies of Surinam (Dutch Guiana) and the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia is to be seen in its own respect and certainly not as a mere derivative of the press in the Netherlands. The press in the former colonies has a long history, starting in the eighteenth century. In the twentieth century, periodicals in both the Dutch language and indigenous languages became a strong vehicle and important cultural and political instrument for emancipation of colonial peoples and ultimately independence of the colonies. Besides the history of this peculiar press, the author discusses the meaning and impact of terms such as „colonial‟ and „postcolonial‟. In using these concepts with regard to the periodical press in the former colonies, its vibrancy, diversity and above all its independent character is often downplayed.