Indos in the USA-Where Are You ?

Pasadena, California, early 1960's the first Indos, De SOOS club

It is estimated that around 60,000 Indos (Indisch or Dutch-Indonesians) emigrated from The Netherlands to the USA in the early 1960's under the Paster-Walter Act which allowed us to come to the USA outside of the immigration population quota of 3000. I have not been able to verify this Paster/Pastor/Pastore-Walter Act through any of the government archives available on line. If anyone out there have another means of verification please send it my way.

Because Nederlandse/Dutch-Indonesians were classified as Dutch it is unclear as to how many actually landed on U.S. soil. The highest concentration started out in California. However, we know now that we are all over the North American continent. For instance, my family started out in Wisconsin the first couple years and ended up in Washington state because we had extended family there. My father's side of the family started out in Massachusetts and ended up on Oregon. What is your story ? If you'd like to volunteer, please leave comment on what state/country you live in.

Halloween 2008

Two Jewish guys with their Dutch-Indonesian wives:

Oscar and Bianca, Josh and Priscilla.

(Halloween 2008)

Mata Hari

Are we related ??? It is reported through the family grapevine that Mata Hari is in our family tree. It certainly provides a new twist in my geneology as my research continues.

Born in Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands by the name of Margaretha Geertruida "Grietje" Zelle 7-Aug-1876, she led a life that was far ahead of her time. Unfortunately her colorful life ended by execution on 5-Oct-1917 in Vincennes, France during WWI. Accused of being a German spy and espionage "Mata Hari" fell victim to her own creation.

After a winding road of a privileged childhood, family disruption, and displacement her adventures started by marrying a Dutch Colonial officer by the name of McLeod. Shortly thereafter they transferred to Java, Dutch East Indies. He turned out to be not such a nice guy and they divorced. She escaped the woes of her miserable marriage by studying the local culture and joined a local dance troupe. Thus, the theatrical persona of "Mata Hari" was created. In Malay it means "eye of the day". Because of her looks (un-Dutch like) she convinced a lot of her audience that she was a mysterious Hindu princess or something like that.

Her "career" really took off in France as a type of courtesan, moving in circles of very powerful men of that era. After her execution her body was not claimed by any family members and was offered to medical research. Her head was preserved in a museum but got lost after the museum moved !!! So many mysteries.... If we are indeed related, it would be quite a story to pass down !