Indos in Wooden Shoes

When The Indo Project posted on social media, “Please share with TIP your family photo in traditional Dutch clothing and the story behind your precious photo. When? Were you in the NL?”, its followers responded! Read below!

Volendam Costume

We immigrated to Los Angeles, California, in 1960. On a visit to family in 1965, our Oma took my sister, Maudy Schusler Kehrer and myself, Joan Schusler Williams, to Volendam in the Netherlands and had this photo taken. Loving the memory.

~ Miriam Joan Schusler Williams

Family Photo Tradition

Our family has taken photos often in Dutch clothing during visits back to the Netherlands. 

Our family has taken photos often in Dutch clothing during visits back to the Netherlands. Even during the early 1900s while our family was living in the Dutch East Indies, it appears they already liked to dress in European style clothing. 

In 1972 my parents, Daan and Gerry Meijer, and my cousins Sandra and Linda de Ridder, took photos in costume in Volendam.

In 1994 during my first visit to the Netherlands, I was able to take a picture with my parents.

While on vacation in Curacao in 2007, we located a local photographer that dressed us in traditional clothes for traditionally dressed Dutch Caribbean citizens. The photo includes my parents and cousin Sandra from the 1972 picture.

Then in 2013, we took photos of our young baby daughter with her cousin Mila, the daughter of Linda from the 1972 picture.

~ Danny Meijer

In Holland Staat een Huis

In 1975, our parents made the big decision to take their first trip back to Netherlands along with their four young children. It was my parents first return after immigrating to the United States separately in 1960. For my brother and sisters, it was not only our first trip to the Netherlands, it was also the first time meeting our paternal Opa and all our aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was nine years old, and my youngest sister turned one while we were there for the month.

Every time I see this photo, I think of the “kinderliedje” song “In Holland Staat een Huis”. It was the first song from a music record our family purchased while in the Netherlands, and we listened to it numerous times upon our return to the USA.

This photo captures those happy moments and all the treasured memories the trip evokes.

~ Monica Veerman Cluff, TIP Volunteer

The author(s) and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of the information and content of this article.

Do you have an Indo story you would like to share with The Indo Project? Submit your story!