Dutch | Dutch/Chinese/Indonesian
I’m a Dutch ‘Chindo’; my roots come from a Chinese family living in Indonesia. The story goes that my Chinese Grandmother Victorine (Vicky) was a bastard’s child; her Chinese Mother had her with an Indonesian man, while she was supposed to marry a Chinese husband. I never knew if this was really true, as in my family tree it still says both her parents were Chinese. She came to Holland right after the 2nd world war and met my Dutch Grandfather. Out of their marriage my Mother was born, she then had me with my Dutch Father. I’m only 25% ‘Chindo’, but always name this when people ask me about my nationality. I grew up in Amsterdam, in a very mixed neighbourhood, and went to a mixed primary school. I think growing up in such a multicultural city it has never disadvantaged me being mixed-raced. I went to a very high-level high school, where also a lot of mixed heritages where the standard. Amsterdam is so mixed that I’ve never took a lot of notice of my dual heritage. I don’t think my parents had to combine their cultures. My Mother was not very typical Chinese or Indonesian, and my Chinese family was very established in the Dutch culture. After the civil war in Indonesia many Indonesians and Indonesian citizens had to make a choice if they wanted to stay there or come to the ‘motherland’ Holland (as Indonesia was a Dutch colony, until the civil war). Most of our family came to Holland and already spoke perfectly Dutch and were not practicing an unknown religion then the Dutch. My Chinese family was already as Dutch as possible, only not in their looks obviously. My Mother had a Dutch Father, who was a very famous resistance fighter in the 2nd World War and started Amsterdam’s newspaper Het Parool. My Mum grew up with Dutch journalists, writers, poets, so was also very connected to Dutch heritage. I have never experienced challenges due to my mixed raced heritage. If I had the opportunity to be reborn I want to return as a bird, a bird can fly, and I would love to be able to fly. Also animals don’t know racism like humans know, and I think that would be a virtue and a blessing.
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