From traditional sheep herds to flower parades and from carbide shooting to old crafts: Drenthe has a long list of intangible heritage that is passed on from generation to generation.
But this broad collection of traditions also has room for heritage with a different background, which has been given a place in the province precisely by communities from outside the Netherlands.
He noticed that there are also Moluccan customs that are passed on in Drenthe and are recognized as intangible heritage, such as traditional medicine and the culture around Moluccan residential areas.
According to the knowledge center, a tradition is included on the list when it is actively practiced, passed on and has meaning for a community. In Drenthe, four of those Moluccan traditions can be found on the heritage list: from healing methods and neighborhood culture to food and martial arts.
An important part of these treatments is the use of herbs and oils from the Moluccas, known as the spice islands. Ingredients such as cloves, nutmeg and eucalyptus are used in massages, steam baths and ointments. The healing methods are also used around specific times, such as after childbirth, where massages and herbal baths are said to aid recovery.
This knowledge is often passed on within families, from older to younger generations. According to the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center, passing on knowledge is an important characteristic of intangible heritage: it lives because people continue to use and share it.
The Verwey-Jonker Committee recommended setting up these neighborhoods per municipality, often near work, but as separate communities. The idea behind this was that the Moluccan population would remain separated from the rest of society for the time being, for fear of social tensions, as shown by historical descriptions of that period.
Those neighborhoods still exist, also in Drenthe. In places like Assen, Hoogeveen and Bovensmilde they grew into close-knit communities where solidarity, hospitality and family ties are central. According to the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center, it is precisely this mutual connection and shared customs that form the core of this tradition.
A striking example of intangible heritage is eating papeda, a dish based on sago that is eaten in Hoogeveen, among other places. Papeda has a distinctive, sticky texture and is traditionally eaten by sliding it off a stick and then ‘slurping’ it up.
Eating papeda is more than just a culinary tradition within the Moluccan community in Drenthe. In Hoogeveen the group Kaum Ama Ama also plays a role in this. This is a support group for Moluccan men, where there is room to share experiences and reflect on the community’s past. At the same time, they use gatherings to keep cultural traditions alive and pass them on to younger generations.
According to the Netherlands Intangible Heritage Knowledge Center, a custom such as eating papeda gains meaning precisely because it is experienced together. Within groups like Kaum Ama Ama, it is not just about the food itself, but also about the stories, memories and values associated with it.
Within the Moluccan community, pencak silat is not only seen as a sport, but also as a way to pass on cultural values and history to younger generations.
The answer to Wim Burggraaff’s question is therefore clear: Moluccan traditions are also part of the intangible heritage in Drenthe. Not because they originated here, but because they are lived here, passed on and have meaning for people in the province.
Do you also have a question that makes you think: what does that actually mean? Send it [email protected] and we might dive into it soon.
