Shortly after the Second World War, Indonesia becomes independent and the Dutch East Indies cease to exist. For the Dutch, there is no other option than to return to their homeland for good. Also for the Indo-Europeans born in the Dutch East Indies, a one-way trip to the Netherlands is often the only option. A number of these Indo-Europeans born in the Dutch East Indies are now spending their last years in the Indies and Moluccan Nursing Home Rumah Kita in the Dutch city of Wageningen. However, their precious but sometimes also traumatic memories of their homeland become more and more vague with time. The cultural ambassador of this nursing home and his colleagues therefore do everything possible to stimulate the memory of the residents of the Dutch East Indies as much as possible. The food, the colors, the plants in the garden, the photos and paintings that hang everywhere in the Nursing Home, everything breathes the Dutch East Indies. In practice, however, it appears that especially music, and in particular authentic Indian Kroncong music, has the ability to evoke memories. Magically, the typical Kroncong tones turn out to be connected to long-forgotten images from the past. That is why Rumah Kita is committed to making this krontcong music as accessible as possible for as many residents as possible. In the Netherlands there is only one music group that plays authentic kroncong music, that is the ensemble Abadi. How great it would be if Rumah Kita managed to get this Kroncong ensemble to perform for its residents.
—Joost Schrickx