In this talk with Romy Rondeltap we discuss the colonization of the Moluccas by the Dutch, and ways of healing the colonial wounds. Romy talks about her own family history, as well as her journey of rediscovering and restoring her Moluccan identity. Several years ago, she founded Building the Baileo; a non-profit organization for preserving and sharing Moluccan culture. On the Moluccas, a baileo is a shared space that is the physical and spiritual heart of the community and the location for all important events. Because it has no walls, ancestral spirits can come and go as they please. Romy’s organization functions as both a metaphor of a baileo, as well as a concrete way to educate, celebrate and share the culture.
#1 Building the Baileo – with Romy Rondeltap