Christiaan Westerkamp is a second generation Indo. His father was born on the island of Java in the former Dutch East Indies to two Dutch-Indo parents. Christiaan’s paternal grandmother was from Cimahi, outside of Bandung, and his paternal grandfather was from Manado, on the island of Sulawesi. After surviving four years of imprisonment in Japanese war camps and the subsequent Bersiap period, Christiaan’s grandparents and father repatriated to the Netherlands. The family lived in Scheveningen for several years until an opportunity arose to immigrate to the United States. Through long sea and land travels, Christiaan’s father and grandparents eventually settled in Southern California, where his father and mother met, got married, and gave birth to him.
Raised in Southern California, Christiaan grew up surrounded by Indo culture through his family, church, travels, and cultural events. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from California State University, Fullerton, and works as a Planned Giving Specialist for the University of California, Irvine. His interests lie in foreign languages and culture. In addition to serving on the board for The Indo Project, he also serves on the Young Professionals committee for World Affairs Council of Orange County and sings with groups such as Pacific Chorale and Guild Opera Company. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, skiing, roller skating, cooking, and studying languages.
