Writing History: Poetry and the memory culture surrounding the shared history of the Netherlands and Indonesia⁠⁠

Poetry is one of the lifelines of intangible heritage and examines the meaning attributed to it from different perspectives, exploring both the light and dark aspects of the past⁠⁠.

In Writing History, Jet Sol will engage in conversation with Professor of Colonial and Postcolonial Literature and Cultural History Pamela Pattynama, poet Robin Block, and poet Ellen Deckwitz about how the shared history between the Netherlands and Indonesia has been shaped through poetry. They will discuss how poems enrich, complement, or challenge historical and academic narratives, and how history is continuously reshaped across generations⁠⁠.

Jet Sol

Jet Sol is a versatile Dutch media personality, presenter, and moderator.  In addition to her television work, Sol is a sought-after interviewer and host in the literary and cultural festival circuit. She has an Indo-Dutch background and a deep interest in the history of the former Dutch East Indies. She is actively involved in initiatives and commemorations that highlight the Indo-Dutch history and heritage.

Pamela Pattynama

Pamela Pattynama is Emeritus Professor of Colonial and Postcolonial Literature and Cultural History at the University of Amsterdam. She specializes in cultural memory, gender, and (post)colonial nostalgia, with a strong focus on Indo history and identity. Her research concentrates on the representation of the colonial past in Dutch literature, film, and life stories.
Pattynama is best known for her book Bitterzoet Indië (2014), in which she explores how memories of the Dutch East Indies are formed and portrayed across different media. In addition, she has contributed to numerous studies on intercultural identity and gender within the Indo community.

Robin Block

Robin Block is a poet, musician, and performer. In his sensory performances, he weaves together language, sound, and movement. Much of his work focuses on the colonial history between the Netherlands and Indonesia, as well as contemporary Indonesian culture. His poetry collection Handleiding voor ontheemden (Manual for the Displaced) has won several awards in the Netherlands and Belgium and was published in translation in Indonesia. Poems from this collection were incorporated into the video project Manual for the Displaced, with the pilot film Jangan Lupa winning awards at various international film festivals. As a musician, Block has released several albums and toured both domestically and internationally.

Ellen Deckwitz

Ellen Deckwitz is a poet, writer, columnist, and performer known for her boundless energy and sharp perspective on language and literature. Since her debut De steen vreest mij (2011), which was awarded the C. Buddingh’ Prize, she has developed into one of the most influential voices in Dutch poetry. Deckwitz’s family lived in the former Dutch East Indies and experienced the war there, a history she addressed in her highly acclaimed and award-winning poetry collection Hogere Natuurkunde published in 2019. In 2024, Deckwitz was appointed Poet Laureate of the City of Amsterdam.

Alfian Emir Adytia

Alfian Emir Adytia, also known as EMIR, is an Indonesian composer, cellist, music producer, and educator living in the Netherlands. After studying classical music at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Emir Adytia embarked on an extensive musical journey that resulted in the release of multiple albums and EPs. His work is influenced by his Javanese and Minangkabau cultural heritage, which adds a distinctive layer to his interpretations of both historical and contemporary Western music. Emir Adytia has performed on prestigious stages around the world, including the Cello Biennale Amsterdam. His music reaches a diverse audience—from grassroots communities of young cellists in Yogyakarta to film screenings in Los Angeles and Montreal.