Indo International is a magazine especially for the international Indo Dutch community. The magazine was founded in 2021 under the title Moesson International, named after it’s big sister Moesson.
Moesson was founded by Indo journalist and writer Tjalie Robinson (born Jan Boon, 1911-1974). In 1954 Tjalie Robinson repatriates to the Netherlands from the former Dutch colony the Dutch East Indies. As with so many other Indo Europeans, there is no future for him in the newborn republic of Indonesia after its independence. Eventually, some 300.000 Indo-Dutch people repatriate to the Netherlands. Once in the Netherlands, Tjalie notices that many repatriates, spread across the country, feel like the odd one out. Displaced, torn from their roots, full of homesickness. Tjalie wants to give this community a voice, and creates a magazine. He starts out as an editor with the small publication Onze Brug and renames it Tong Tong in 1958. From that moment on, Indos and their experiences become the focus of the magazine. They share their stories and memories of the Dutch East Indies and write about their unique Indo culture. In doing so, they pass their stories and culture on to future generations. Tong Tong becomes their life preserver and Tjalie legendary. When Tjalie passes away in 1974, his wife Lilian Ducelle (pseudonym of Lilly van Zele, 1919-2013) becomes director and editor-in-chief of the magazine. ‘I can't replace my husband, but I can continue his work,’ she says. And she does. In 1978 she renames the magazine Moesson.
To this day Moesson publishes stories and articles from and about the Indo Dutch community. The publication is now run by Vivian Boon, granddaughter to Tjalie and Lilian. The magazine has grown from a small black and white newspaper-like publication into a full-color magazine. It now connects the older generations with the young ones, covering not only the colonial past, but also current social discussions. It includes interviews with the first, second ánd third generations and even the fourth generation has been given a special place in the magazine. The magazine covers topics such as history, politics, sports, theater, books, education and of course Indo Dutch cuisine; makan!
Indo International covers all these topics and focusses especially on the international Indo community. The magazine contains articles from Moesson, but also new copy from and about Indos from Europe, the USA and Australia.
Fun Fact: Indo International is not the first magazine published by Moesson that focusses on the international Indo Community. In the sixties Tjalie Robinson and Lilian van Zele, when the Boon family also published the American Tong Tong in California. The magazine ended after three years when the Boon family moved back to the Netherlands. The publication can be found online in the Moesson archives.
Photo: Boon Family at L.A. Airport 1963, Lilian and Tjalie with their children Vivian and Lucian.