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'Dutch people need to feel 'senang''

Senang. That word was heard frequently during the recent visit of the Dutch minister of foreign affairs to Indonesia in August this year. It has become as much a Dutch word now as the typical Dutch word gezellig.

In Bahasa Indonesia, many Dutch loan words can be found, such as lampu and pos. But the Indonesian language has also left clear marks in Dutch. The Dutch do not order fried rice, fried noodles or fried banana with their food, but nasi, bami and pisang goreng. Grilled meat on a stick -- whether of Indonesian, Chinese or Japanese culinary origin -- is called sate. A wraparound summer skirt is called a sarong, especially when it has a batik design.

But the Indonesian influence in the Netherlands goes further than just the dictionary. Many people have wayang puppets in their living rooms and in their bedrooms they hang klamboe - a corrupted Dutch word from the Indonesian kelambu - brought from Indonesia. All smokers have tried a kretek cigarette at least once.

In the country's administrative capital, The Hague, there is a complete Indonesian neighborhood and every year a massive Indonesian event is organized. The pasar malam besar attracts thousands of people from all over the Netherlands - including even Her Majesty the Queen. The story goes that the best way for Dutch politicians to settle their political conflicts is to meet in a restaurant with a good Indonesian kitchen. After some rice dishes, a bowl of kroepoek and a few table spoons of sambal, matters are more easily resolved.