On Saturday, 22 August, Wereldmuseum Rotterdam invites you to Molukkers aan de Maas: SUARA MALUKU. A full-day festival, developed in collaboration with Molukkers aan de Maas celebrating the 75th anniversary of Moluccans in the Netherlands. Expect an inspiring program filled with tradition, theatre, dance, music, food, workshops, and conversations. We create space to celebrate the richness of Moluccan culture and will close the day with a big celebration!
Suara Maluku, translated as Voice of the Moluccas, is an invitation to tell katong pung carita (our own story). Rather than focusing on a single narrative, the event brings together many voices that collectively shape the history, identity, and future of the Moluccan community. These stories connect generations, create space for different perspectives, and demonstrate how cultural heritage is passed on while continually gaining new meaning.
The program is curated by MOADMA, a platform for Moluccan artists and talents, founded by Yordi Tahamata, Mayella Lourens, and Rafaël Pattiwael. Through art exhibitions, concerts, and impactful events, they are committed to community building, awareness, and sustainable development within and beyond the Moluccan community. They celebrate the power of culture, heritage, and new generations—with a strong focus on social impact.
Instagram: @molukkersaandemaas
Full programme and ticket information below
At the Pasar, food, craftsmanship and connection come together. Visitors can enjoy Moluccan and Melanesian dishes, coffee and products, while meeting makers and entrepreneurs from the community.
De opening wordt begeleid door zang- en dansgroep LimaDiti, die authentieke, traditionele optredens verzorgt uit met name de Tanimbar-eilanden. De groep staat bekend om hun passievolle vertolkingen, vaak begeleid door enkel de tifa.
The museum café is open throughout the day for food and refreshments. Visitors can also view the specially commissioned artwork Root, Flourish and Shine by Moluccan artist Hatutamelen. The mural pays tribute to the elders of the community: the first generation of Moluccans who arrived in the Netherlands 75 years ago.
Artist Hatutamelen presents his new mural Root, Flourish and Shine, unveiled in the museum café of Wereldmuseum Rotterdam. The mural depicts a seed taking root, sprouting and growing into a plant reaching towards the sun. It symbolises the descendants of the Moluccans who arrived in the Netherlands more than 75 years ago. Today, the fifth generation has firmly rooted itself within Dutch society.
Each performance of LAUT – the sea within us is followed by an in-depth conversation with a special guest. Drawing from personal experiences, the discussion explores themes from the duet and the research project Embodied HERitage: the voices of Moluccan women, embodied memories, generations, and the stories that continue to live within our bodies.
The conversations also reflect on the strength, resilience and wisdom of Moluccan women, past, present and future. This is a space to acknowledge and honour their stories, influence and lasting impact on our collective memory.
Music Composition: Joris Titawano (akasiroj)
Djé-Rimo takes audiences on a personal and historical journey that begins with his grandfather’s stories about Nusalaut and the Moluccas and ends with his own confrontation with family ties, patience and understanding. Through spoken word, music and theatre, he explores colonial legacies, diaspora, expectations and personal freedom. SABAR is an intimate performance about family, history and finding gentleness within strictness.
Text, Performance and Music: Djé-Rimo Holle Coaching: Joenoes Polnaija
TAKAROA is a Moluccan vocal ensemble that sings songs from Maluku as carriers of language, memory, and connection. The name TA-KA-ROA refers to Tanimbar owun Kai Raroa Dain: Tanimbar and Kei are far away, but through our songs we keep them close. The group performs in several languages spoken across the Moluccas, bringing the richness of Moluccan cultures vividly to life through music. Their songs carry knowledge of journeys, longing, origins, migration, and homecoming. Through rich vocal harmonies, they create a shared space where heritage, language, and memory can be experienced anew. In this way, TAKAROA demonstrates how singing can connect, remember, and pass on cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.
Abigail Koopmans and artist Snars invite visitors into conversation and reflection using specially designed dialogue cards. Participants are encouraged to explore themes such as identity, history and community, while reflecting on their own stories and those of others.
Price: Included with the festival ticket. Advance registration required.
Register here for: 13:45 - 14:45
Register here for: 16:15 - 17:15
Register here for: 18:00 - 19:00
Following the impressive performance by LimaDiti, the festival initiators will officially open the day and reflect on the theme of the programme.
Inspired by the theme Suara Maluku, the men of The Lucu Factory hold up a mirror to the audience through humour, reflection and recognisable stories from the Moluccan community. Host Joshua Timisela opens the show before handing the stage to Ciano and Leo, who remain true to The Lucu Factory’s values of future-mindedness, relatability and connection.
Marciano Siwabessy is an online phenomenon whose razor-sharp sketches regularly go viral, with videos surpassing one million views. He previously performed the warm-up act for Joshua Timisela’s theatre show Sorry Tante Corrie. Leonard Paais is a seasoned performer and graduate of the Rotterdam Academy of Theatre. He has appeared in various films and was a regular opening act for Joshua Timisela’s hit show Oom Boetje Poep in Broek.
Tiny Housesessions is a collective of musicians and friends who create music rooted in feeling, connection and authenticity. Drawing inspiration from Gospel, Neo Soul and R&B, they create a warm and intimate live experience in which music is not only played but deeply felt.
Their original compositions, performed in English, Dutch and Malay, explore themes of love, faith, strength, heritage and identity.
What makes Tiny Housesessions unique is the energy shared between the musicians and their audience. Every performance feels personal and sincere, blending soulful harmonies, live storytelling and raw emotion into a memorable experience.
Mari la katong manyanyi sama-sama (come and sing with us) during the Maluku Singalong! During this live karaoke concert featuring beloved Moluccan songs, audience participation is highly encouraged. Don’t know the lyrics? Seng apa-apa (no problem), the lyrics and translations will be projected on screen. Songs will be performed by Jessica Manuputty (vocals and ukulele), Ruben Croes (guitar) and Gino-Cochise (percussion). Lisa Supusepa, from Totaal Moluks, will share the meaning and background of each song. In the Moluccan community, singing together is a powerful way to connect and celebrate culture. Bring your family and friends for a warm, musical gathering.
Oceanikz began as a youth band within the Moluccan community with the goal of making music together and keeping traditional songs alive. Over the years, the group has grown into an active ensemble performing across the Netherlands and connecting multiple generations. Their performance introduces audiences to musical traditions from the Moluccas and Papua, and how these traditions have evolved within a Dutch context. Oceanikz demonstrates how music can help preserve cultural heritage, strengthen identity and build connections between people from different backgrounds.
Museum Maluku presents a selection of previously unseen images from its archive and invites members of the Moluccan community to help fill in missing information. What is the story behind the photograph? Visitors are encouraged to contribute what they know about the images on display. Their contributions become part of an ongoing collaborative project documenting 75 years of Moluccan history in the Netherlands.
Documentary photographer and filmmaker Stacii Samidin presents a behind-the-scenes film documenting the photography sessions for the project 75 Years of Moluccans in the Netherlands, conducted earlier this year. Following the screening, Samidin discusses the significance of this historic project and shares his experiences creating the photographic series.
Joenoes Polnaija is an actor, musician and theatre maker. He has appeared in the feature film De Oost and the theatre production Fortune Seekers in Sumatra. Together with Daan van Citters, he also created the documentary Grandchildren of the East, exploring the intergenerational trauma both actors continue to grapple with. As a third-generation Moluccan who grew up between different cultures in the Moluccan neighbourhood of Tiel, Polnaija understands the longing for freedom firsthand. As the grandson of a Moluccan soldier in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and the son of an activist, his Freedom Lecture reflects on Moluccan history and the trauma passed down through generations.
Join a conversation about the importance of preserving, sharing, and celebrating Moluccan culture and community. Henry Timisela, Director of Museum Maluku, and Lolita Kapel, affiliated with Stichting Hubungan Hatert and curator of the exhibition Sapa Punja? Moluccan Stories from Nijmegen at the WereldLab in Nijmegen, will discuss the importance of community-driven projects dedicated to protecting, preserving, and honoring Moluccan culture. In doing so, both institutions play their own distinctive role as cultural professionals.
Margery Kainama and Kim Leiwakabessy invite visitors to contribute to Au nita au é, a one-day installation within the exhibition Art She Crafted, which highlights female craftsmanship. Visitors are asked to reflect on the following question: What does self-love mean to me today? Participants are invited to share their answer and intention, affirm it and inspire others. Each contribution becomes part of a growing artwork that evolves throughout the day.
Documentary photographer and filmmaker Stacii Samidin presents a new photographic series marking 75 years of Moluccan presence in the Netherlands. Through 75 portraits spanning four generations, the exhibition highlights the diversity and resilience of the Moluccan community.
The exhibition offers a powerful contemporary perspective on the Moluccan experience in the Netherlands and reflects Samidin’s wider documentary practice, which focuses on making the stories of minority and marginalised communities visible around the world.
During the 1990s, Moluccan grandfathers, uncles and fathers organised kite-fighting tournaments in Moluccan neighbourhoods to bring young people together and strengthen community bonds. In this workshop, visitors can decorate their own kite (layangan). This creative activity for all ages is inspired by Moluccan traditions, where kites symbolise freedom, play and connection. At scheduled times, an educational talk will be given about kite flying and the power of community. Manoah Salampessy (36) is a photographer and works in Education & Audience Development. He also served as co-curator of Ketahanan: Stories of Resilience at Het Noordbrabants Museum.
