By Margaret Laurens – October 30, 2013.
The 5th Annual Indo Heritage Festival took place on a beautiful sunny late-summer day in The Gazebo in Haverstraw NY on September 7th 2013. The annual event brought together about 100 attendees Indos, and family and friends of Indos, from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and as far away as Rhode Island, Maryland, and Florida.
The event was organized, as always, by its founder, Maudy Courant Hartman-Kok, an Indo based in Cornwall, NY, who emigrated to the USA in 1972 from New Guinea and The Netherlands. She was ably supported by her husband, Rudy and daughters Jennifer and Nicole and their families.
As usual, Maudy had invaluable help from her longtime friends Rich and Sandy, who organized the buffet, refreshment and dessert table. A delicious and bountiful rijstafel buffet was served, including such familiar and mouth-watering delicacies as Nasi koening, sambal goreng boontjes with pete, boemboe bali from fish, sambal goreng Tempe, Gado gado, Petjil, Bali from chicken, Smoor, Lemper, Rempejeh, Sajoer lodeh, Frecadel, Kroepoek, Kerry from Kip, Sambal goreng egg with petis, and a lot more. The exotic drinks Tjendol and Ice Campur and other tasty libations were also in plentiful supply. A special treat was exotic Hawaiian dancing by a New York- based entertainment group, Aloha Hula, wonderful music and dancing!
Among the attendees and their families were Joyce Gerrits, her son Bob Gerrits and his family, Alice de Knegt, her daughter Henny and her family, Meiske Goldman, her daughter Soraya and her family, Judy Knoester and her daughter Cyndi and her family, Anna De Bok and her four daughters, Ed and Rika Jansen, their daughter and Sylvia and Hans Esser, Sylvia and Gerard Krause, Jeanine and Deria Moeis, Edith Van Spanje and family, Meity Krul, Annette d’Amelio from Canada and many others. Old friends and new, shared stories about their Indo heritage, dined on Indo cuisine and both older and younger Indos enjoyed each others’ company.
A gorgeous day by the Hudson River, wonderful food, exciting entertainment and our beautiful Indo friends and family– thanks to everyone who helped honor and celebrate our Indo heritage! Until next year — Thank you for another successful Indo Fest, Maudy!
Wow! What a wonderful celebration this looks like. Would love to attend the next gathering. We have a bunch of Indos here in Bethel and Brookfield, CT!!!
Thank you, Margaret for the nice review you wrote about our Indo Party, NY.
Everything went so nice, especially the weather. Hope to see more Indos next year. The problem is that many older Indos like to come but not be able to travel that far so we have to find a solution.
Also, we like to have more T shirts and Buttons. Guests want to buy them.
It was overall a success. Until next year!!!
It was a lot of work and was happy to do it.
Thanks again, Margaret and Jeff and the staff of the Indo Project. Hope you all can come next year.
Groetjes, Maudy Courant.
it was a very enjoyable event Maudy, thanks to your hard work. Please let your friends and family know about this article, and maybe they can add their comments. The Gazebo at Haverstraw is a wonderful place to hold this celebration of Indo culture. T-shirts and buttons can be ordered on line at theindoproject.org website.
Groetjes, Margaret