What is "verwantschapslanden"

Verwantschapslanden is an umbrella term used by some cultural institutions to refer to countries that were once, either fully or partly, Dutch colonial possessions. Besides the Netherlands itself, the countries that are usually included are: Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Indonesia and South Africa. Additionally, under some definitions this list can also be expanded to include Guyana, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Ghana.