Originally organized by the Nationale Herdenking 15 Augustus 1945 Comité, this annual commemoration and ball honors the liberation of the Dutch East Indies in 1945. At the committee’s request, The Indo Project began hosting the event in 2023 and is honored to continue this tradition with our community. Read through our previous event highlights to…
by Astrid Berg, Ph.D. Introduction: Understanding Collective Trauma Integration The Collective Trauma Integration Process (CTIP) supports individuals and groups in integrating trauma that has been passed down through generations and is embedded in cultural systems—such as slavery, war, genocide, and racism. As Thomas Hübl teaches, these traumas live not only in our nervous systems, but also…
By Monica Veerman Cluff Editor’s note: This article uses “Tjideng,” the colonial-era Dutch spelling. The modern Bahasa Indonesia spelling is “Cideng.” Both spellings appear in historical and contemporary sources. Finding the Words For those of us with roots in the wartime Dutch East Indies, our family’s stories often contain unspoken gaps. I’ve always been deeply…
The Indo Project was honored to host its third annual Commemoration and Liberation Ball on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in Buena Park, California. This special event serves as both a commemoration of the victims of World War II and a tribute to the generations that came before us, celebrating our shared heritage. The 2025 event…
The Indo Project invites you to our annual Commemoration and Liberation Ball on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 2:00–6:00 PM at the Buena Park Elks Lodge in Buena Park, California. This meaningful event honors the resilience and legacy of the Indo community with an afternoon of remembrance and celebration, featuring live music, delicious food, and…
by Roderick C. Wahr It happened on January 5th, 1942, at 7:30 a.m. in Sumbawa Besar village on the island of Sumbawa. My mother lay in the bedroom, sweating and moaning, while my father stood outside the bedroom, nervously dragging on a cigarette. I was in the process of being born. The palace of Sultan…
By Brenda van der Wilde The author was inspired to capture some of her childhood memories after listening to The Indo Project’s latest podcasts, specifically the Transgenerational Trauma episode. My dad could not go to funerals, and he had an intolerance for red cars. He could not stand to hear screaming, and as children we were…
by Fleur Wormgoor In Memoriam Fleur Wormgoor passed in March 2026. She was 93, but so young at heart. During the war she saw the good and the bad on both sides, which helped her cope and keep a very optimistic view on life. She was still very active and had a lot of plans,…
By Edward E. E. Frietman This is the first installment in a three-part series (see part 2 and part 3) featuring Indo luminary Edward E. E. Frietman, who is a respected figure in the Indo community, known in both the Netherlands and the United States for his accomplishments in academia, science, and public service. He has previously…
by Jane Vogel Mantiri Introduction I met Sonja in October 2011, almost seven decades after Papa was captured by the Japanese, shackled, and forced to work the Death Railway in Siam (Thailand) as a POW (prisoner of war). Papa would endure almost four years of torture before he was released from hell. He never told…