Explore the lives of influential Indos—past and present—who have made an impact in their fields and communities. From well-known public figures to unsung heroes, our Indo Profiles highlight the achievements, contributions, and unique stories of remarkable individuals.
Discover their journeys and celebrate Indo heritage with us.
From January 21 to May 10, 2026, the Singer Museum in Laren (Netherlands) presents the exhibition De werelden van Jan Toorop(The Worlds of Jan Toorop). Jan Toorop’s work is celebrated internationally, but this exhibition is exceptional in the way it brings his oeuvre together with works by friends and contemporaries,…
by Edward E. E. Frietman The Indo Project extends warm wishes to the Frietmans on their 60th anniversary! This article is divided into two parts. The first section highlights the non-profit organizations that the Frietmans are passionate about, and how they graciously requested their anniversary guests to make donations in…
by Karel Wagemans – first published in Dutch in June, 2024 FEATURED IMAGE: With the then Prince of Wales at a commemoration in Oosterbeek (1975) Introduction Many Indos played courageous roles in the fight for freedom during World War II, but too often their stories remain overlooked. One such figure is…
New Book ‘The Sun In His Eyes’, a true story by Renée Belloni There is already so much turmoil and distress in the world, and here I am introducing my new book. I dedicate this book to peace in the world and peace starts within ourselves. The more peace there…
By Cindy Rodermond, Winnie Piccolo (nee Gravendaal), Ingrid Gravendaal, Linda Gravendaal, and Peggy Gravendaal Prior to the 1980s, movie posters were a one-off in that they were original, authentic drawings and paintings, even the billboard-sized ones that loomed high above city traffic. In the Netherlands, the artists behind these creations…
By Debbie Vanden Broek Olivier Indo Princess Pride I am so proud to have represented the Dutch Indo community as a princess of Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses Court in 1977. It just so happened that another Dutch Indo and his brother were starting to make a name for themselves in…
by Benjamin Jacobs The Story Behind the Indo Girl Logo Before the war, my father was an art and engineering student. He was also in the Dutch army. My father was an artist at heart and was creative in everything he did. More importantly, he was a husband and father.…
[Photo: The Hague, after 1933. Oma Moesje is second from the right wearing white] The Story of my Indo Oma By Robert Kaya Before I even met my Oma, she already had a long and interesting life. She was born in Kota Raja, Aceh in 1891 as the ninth of ten…
A Cultural Awakening By Barbara (Babs) Coert My sister and I are as different as two people can be. Not only do we live in different states, we are also very different in how we express and connect to our Indo culture. I’m more social in my connection. Maybe holding…
by Maureen Welscher The Bombing of Pontianak When I was 8 ½ years old, I lived in Pontianak, the capital of Borneo, Indonesia. On the morning of December 19, 1941, I visited a friend who lived opposite the military barracks. We sat in the lounge facing their barracks. We heard…
On his birthday, The Indo Project remembers and celebrates Indo legend René Creutzburg. With his monthly magazine ‘De Indo’, he helped define what it meant to be an Indo in the United States and connected Indos worldwide. Verenigd – United “Oom” René was a great supporter of The Indo Project…
By Vivian Boon For me, he was my Opa Tjalie April 22, 1974 is the day my grandfather died. For me he was my Opa Tjalie. To this day I regret not getting to know him – I was only a toddler when he passed away. From what my parents,…
By Ralph Ockerse When The Indo Project posted on social media, “TIP wants to know: Tell us about your Omas and Opas! What did they mean to you? What did you learn about Indo culture from them?” , many Indos responded including Ralph Ockerse responded with this riveting story about…
by Charles L. Pieters Aloha, my name is Charles L. Pieters, and I was born in Alkmaar, Netherlands in the early sixties. I have one sister and a brother. My father left Batavia now called Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1957 to go to Netherlands and was settled by the Dutch government…
Read TIP’s Indo Profile about war camp survivor and musician Hannie Blaauw. Hannie Blaauw is my very special friend. I met him about twenty years ago when I moved to Arizona. Born and raised on Java, he is eleven years older than I, so he was a teenager during the…
article by Jamie D. Stern CLICK HERE: To check out our interactive Kid-Friendly presentation on Indo History! Children are witnessing history in action. They are smart and they are feeling how life has suddenly become very different. Around the world, we are sharing the COVID-19 experience. There is curiosity, deep…
Sybald L. Loth passed away on December 18, 2015. To say that we miss him at The Indo Project (TIP) would be a gross understatement. He left not only a grieving family and friends but a huge void in the organization in whose work he believed in so strongly. Sybald…
By Sylvia Boon Couto, daughter Name: William Boon Born: December 17, 1917, Java, Dutch East Indies Died: June 10, 2011, California, USA POW: Camp Tjimahi, West Java, Nov 20 , 1942 camp 4e Bataljon The Early Years Dad was born on December 17, 1917 on the island…
Indo Profile By Bianca Dias-Halpert, USA Case was born in Surabaya, Indonesia in 1939. After one year in Holland in 1948 the family returned to Indonesia in 1949 and then left for good in 1954. In 1960 he came to the USA by himself by plane. In 1961 he…
[Featured photo: Merriman’s] By Bianca Dias-Halpert It was with great pleasure to finally talk with Kimo Huybrechts, a diverse musician from Hawaii of Indo heritage. His music group Ranga Pae was formed in 1995. Ranga Pae means “encircling the earth” in the Maori language. The name came about when…
By Bianca Dias-Halpert How can you not love food if you were born above a restaurant ? So it was for Jeff Keasberry. His oma’s restaurant in Amsterdam, which opened in 1954, was called “Djokja” after the name of the town she was from in the former Dutch East Indies.…
[image: Suza with first Yoga instructor 1972] By Bianca Dias-Halpert After talking with Suza I couldn’t help but think of someone being at the right place at the right time. For starters, she lives in Ojai, California one of the most beautiful places in not only natural elements but also…
[Ingrid and Judith with Guitars in Suriname] By Bianca Dias-Halpert, Washington, USA Diverse is an understatement when it comes to describing Ingrid. An elected official who is a musician, twin, vegetarian, wife and speaks six languages, Ingrid Morroy was a delight to interview as she shared her colorful background. Her Indo…
By Bianca Dias-Halpert, Washington, USA This is a remarkable family story of altruism, survival and faith based values. From immigrant to international entrepeunuer, meet Roy van Broekhuizen Chairman and CEO of Laga Designs International, Inc. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia he left with his family at the age of 9 to The…
BDH: Where were you born ? JK: I was born in the beautiful tourist town of Malang, in East Java, the former Dutch East Indies, prior to the Japanese invasion. After struggle for independence, the country became known as Indonesia and the Dutch were expelled. BDH: How did you emigrate…
By Bianca Dias-Halpert Das Williams on You Tube Das Williams represents the 3rd generation of Indos born and raised in the USA. Born in Kenai, Alaska, he grew up in California since the age of 1. It is clear he has carved a pathway in politics, but let’s examine…
By Bianca Dias-Halpert I had the good fortune of interviewing Tamara Fielding as our first Indo Profile of the month. On the east coast, she has carved out a life path by integrating her love for drama and her Indo heritage. Born in a military town Chimahi, West Java, she…
