Mother and I right after the war in 1947, in the Netherlands

Indo discrimination, rampart in the old days, perhaps till mid sixties

The word Indo was a derogatory word like in the USA the N word.  Indo was applied to half breeds, mixed people of European and Indonesian blood.  Majority were the Dutch, They had occupied the country for over 300 years.

During those years, many Indos  were  born and they were put in a different category not ever able to climb the corporate ladder, sort of kept in their place and  a glass ceiling prevented any one of them to become high-ranking executives, but when they climbed to the highest level they were called, and thought so of themselves, Tuan Bazaar, important man.

They had their own movie theaters, places to go, they made money and were able to afford servants like, a babu, live in maid, cook, katjoeng work boy, some even a car with a chauffeur.

So overall a very great life, but in their own put in environment.

Night clubs for the white men, chic and elegant bands, littering night life.  Before WW2 broke out my father took my mother Marina, a name he had given her because her real name Christina, she never liked that and he started calling her Marina to one of the European clubs at her insistence.

She was convinced she could pass for a European woman, Her problem being, that she loathed being Indonesian.

One evening, Marina decided she wanted to go the nightclub, dinner and dancing.  Apparently, it started out grandly, the band was playing and the food was excellent, some drinks and then it was time for the big band to come on and play dance music. 

Quite a few couples were dancing and having a great time, smooth music in the thirties, waltzes, tangos, Marina's favorite.

Then, out of the clear blue sky, the band abruptly stopped playing and every one was looking at each other with great surprise on their faces.

The MC took the microphone and started talking, well, actually he was asking this, "Would the woman on the dance floor not of European blood, please remove herself from the dance floor?"  Marina looked around, looking up at her tall husband.  The MC again took up the microphone and  this time he spoke more firm, very affirmative, asking the same question again this though adding that if this woman would not do so the band would stop playing and the club would close.  Marina again played it very cool and than my father whispered to her to just give in and to leave the club.

They left the club and I believe that was a great insult to Marina and started the beginning of dealing with a great mental inner war.

Soon the Japanese attacked the Indonesian Islands, they had been stopped by the Australians or the Japanese plans were to take Australia but since the were not able to make that reality, Indonesia was next.

So discrimination has been around for a extremely long time and a lot more would come Marina's way for the next ten years minimum. It would eventually catch up with me and my experience with discrimination was nasty, painful, and unbearable at times.  My experience with discrimination started in the foster homes where I was placed out of great necessity, by my mother.