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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.