Indo (Eurasian)

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"Indo"' also has other meanings - see Indo disambiguation page

Indo, Indo-European or Eurasian is a term used to describe people of mixed European and Indonesian ancestry, in particular, people of Dutch and Indonesian ancestry. Indos descend from inhabitants of the Dutch East Indies, and as a result are primarily found in The Netherlands and Indonesia, but also in the United States.

One of the larger issues in the Indo community is the internment of Indos during World War II in the Dutch East Indies. When the Japanese arrived in Indonesia, they were welcomed by many Indonesian nationalists who thought they were coming to expel the Dutch and give independence to the Indonesians. Instead, the Japanese wanted Indonesia ruled by Asian colonialists, themselves, rather than European colonialists. As a result of this, the Japanese gathered all people of European descent into camps in Indonesia. Eventually, the Indos and anyone who was partly European was also thrown in the camps. Many Indos were killed in the camps, and many other Indos carry memories from the camps like Jews have of the holocaust.

After WWII, many Indo children were orphans, and adopted by families in the Netherlands. Many Indos also moved to the Netherlands because of Indonesia's independence. Some of the famous Indo descendants in Netherlands are dart player Jelle Klaassen, football players Johnny Heitinga and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and former minister Winnie Sorgdrager. Because of their refugee status leaving Indonesia, many Indos were able to immigrate to the United States. Today there are many of Indonesian or part-Indonesian descent, notably the Van Halen brothers, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kristin Kreuk, Laura Gemser and Michelle Branch.

[edit] Indo’s in the Netherlands

After the second World War (1945-1965) around 300.000 people, pre-dominantly Indo’s, left Indonesia to go to the Netherlands. This migration was called ‘re-patriation’ return to the Patria (fatherland). The majority of this group had never set foot in the Netherlands before.

In 1990 the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) registered the number of first generation Indo’s living in the Netherlands at around 180.000 people. However the second and third generation are estimated around half a million. In both instances they make up the largest minority community in the Netherlands.

Numbers relating to Indo immigrants in other major immigration countries like the United States, New Zealand and Australia are unknown.

Next to their culinary culture, Indo influence in Dutch society, is mostly reflected in music and literature. The biggest manifestation of Indo culture in the world is the Pasar Malam Besar event, which is organized in the Netherlands every year.