By Inge Oosterhoff | Article Highlights by The Indo Project
Featured image: The meeting where the DURF began, in the living room of the Attinger family, 1961. Indo author Tjalie Robinson in white shirt in the middle. Photo courtesy of Attinger family archive.
Introduction
In October 2023, The Indo Project featured Inge Oosterhoff’s widely received article, “From the Dutch East Indies to San Diego.” Following the significant response to that piece, we are pleased to present Oosterhoff’s latest work, “Forgotten History, Unknown Future.” Originally published in the Dutch newspaper Trouw on April 4, 2025, this follow-up examines the complex reality of how Indos in America navigate the growing divide between a first generation that sought silence to survive and a younger generation seeking connection to belong.
Read the full article in English. Explore the complete narrative of the migration and the generational search for identity.
This feature was originally published in the Dutch newspaper Trouw in April 2025. You can view the original Dutch publication (note: this link may be behind a paywall).
The Struggle for Belonging
For many Dutch Indonesians, the move to America offered a “clean slate,” but the article states that it also created a profound sense of cultural isolation. Oosterhoff notes that the need for a place to belong led to the rise of community strongholds like Dutch Club AVIO in Anaheim. These spaces were not just for socializing; they were havens for a generation that had survived the trauma of war and displacement.
“Only someone who’d gone through something similar could really understand them… [AVIO was a place] to enjoy the present and forget the past, amongst others who intimately understood how hard the latter could be.”
Preserving Identity
The article explains that the effort to preserve this identity has always relied on dedicated visionaries. Oosterhoff highlights Tjalie Robinson, a giant of Indo culture, who arrived in California in the 1960s convinced that the American landscape provided a rare environment where Dutch Indonesian heritage could truly flourish. He famously rejected the idea that the community was destined to disappear, stating,
“People can remain true to themselves in America… Assimilated into oblivion after one generation? Nonsense.”
The article further details how The Indo Project carries that torch into the digital age. Since 2009, TIP has made historical resources, information, and interviews accessible in English, ensuring the foundational knowledge of our history is never forgotten. However, the article observes that many younger Indos are also searching for a more intrinsic, personal connection to the community and its culture.
This is where organizations like SoCal Indo and leaders like Michael Passage come in. The article describes how Passage is bridging the gap by hosting modern events and creating digital content like the Meet The SoCal Indos series. By translating old-world traditions into a contemporary context, the piece states that Passage aims to keep the community united. As he is quoted in the text:
“We just need to keep the fire burning, I don’t care how… In the end, we are stronger together.”
The Final Stakes
Ultimately, the article suggests that the preservation of this identity is a race against time. Oosterhoff concludes that as the older generation ages, the “living libraries” of the community are fading, leaving behind a legacy that must be consciously maintained if it is to survive.
“Our children need to know where they come from. They should not become fully Americanized.”
Conclusion
The future of the Indo identity in America now rests in the hands of a younger generation determined to break the silence. As the original foundations of the community, like Anaheim’s Dutch Club AVIO, face an uncertain future, the need to document and share these stories has never been more urgent.