Pamela Pattynama, then a lecturer/researcher at the University of Amsterdam in the Department of Literature Studies specialising in Women’s Studies (later Gender Studies), wanted to speak to people who grew up in the colonial period. She was specifically interested in women’s experiences: they have often walked a very different life path than men, and men are more likely to speak. Participants were selected through family members and acquaintances, and snowballed through the interviewees. She deliberately kept the questions general because she did not want to exclude any themes and was curious to know what the women themselves wanted to talk about.
The interviews focus on events and experiences in the 1920s – 1989.
They mainly discuss Indonesia, Java and Jakarta, but also other islands and places. Themes include daily life, schooling and exile related to RMS activities.
The collection is managed by Pamela Pattynama. She has a desire to transfer the interviews to an archive in the future.