The folk song ‘Si Patokaan’ tells the story of a mother who worries because her child, Si Patokaan, is moving far away to find a better life. It is very common in North Sulawesi for children to move to other places because of work.

However, not all mothers can let go of their children easily, but the song teaches that they should do it anyway. The prayers in the song show the mother's boundless love despite her grief.

The song comes from the Minahasa culture, an ethnic group in North Sulawesi. It is considered a folk song, often sung at cultural events, traditional ceremonies and school performances. Although it is about a caring and worried mother, it is an upbeat tune that you can easily sing along and remember. It becomes even more fun because you can dance to it!

The message of this song also applies to us, though perhaps a little less deeply. Like Si Patokaan, we too left our homeland to emigrate to the Netherlands, be it for very different reasons.

We are Lily, Ning, Retno, Endah and Chrispina. We have lived in Enschede for many years and feel completely at home in this multicultural city. We come from different places in Java, such as Blitar, Surabaya, Bandung and Rembang. Here in Enschede, we have built our lives: we work here, our children were born here, and the city has become an important part of our lives.

We are proud members of the world choir IntervOcaal, where we sing songs from all kinds of countries, including Indonesia. We enjoy the music immensely, and it is extra special when we can dance to Indonesian songs. This gives us a warm sense of home, both at IntervOcaal and in Enschede.