Tjalie Robinson - Legacy

Legacy

Part of his literary legacy is the fact that he wrote much of his work in the Indo mix language called Petjok, also known as petjo or pecuk, giving it a status that it never had in the Dutch East Indies and providing academic linguistic research a substantial database. His work varies between the melancholy reminiscence of the Indos in diaspora, caught in the term Tempo Doeloe, the positioning of post-colonial Indo identity and the study of a global Eurasian cultural domain.

”...an outstanding figure who helped shape and pass on the legacy of the Dutch colonial past from the East Indies, Tjalie Robinson. An author who not only was a prominent voice in the colonial period, but also throughout the years of decolonisation, and during the ensuing postcolonial era. In his life and work can be detected a reflection of twentieth-century processes of change in the relations between the Netherlands and its former colony in the East.”, Professor Dr. Wim Willems describing Tjali Robinson as a cultural mediator from the East.

His greatest achievement as described by Kousbroek may have been that he was: "...the only one that has restored their (Indo) self respect and granted us insight into their culture and has written about it with the hand of a master."

His work is still regularly re-issued by publisher Moesson, The Hague. and often cited in academic studies.

In 1992 on the facade of Tjalie Robinson's place of birth, Dominicanenstraat 117 in Nijmegen, a memorial was unveiled by the 'Literary Cafe Nijmegen', in collaboration with the Municipality of Nijmegen and the 'Cultural Council Gelderland'.

In 2008 it was announced that a square would be named after him in The Hague.

In 2008 Wim Willems published his biography: Tjalie Robinson, Indo writer and in 2009 his compiled letters Writing with your fists, Tjalie Robinsons letters for which the author received the literary award 'Witte Prijs' in 2010.

In 2009 commemorating Tjalie Robinson's death 35 years ago a modern multi-media theater play based on his stories was performed in Bandung and Jakarta, Indonesia. The play was also performed during the 2011 Tong Tong Fair in the The Hague, Netherlands.

The 'Tong Tong' magazine, renamed to 'Moesson' in 1978 lives on to this day with his widow Lillian Ducelle as director and chief editor up to 1993. Lillian Ducelle: "I can not replace my husband, but I can continue his work." 50 seasons of published editions of both the Dutch and American magazine are available online in the digital archive of the official website.

The 'American Tong Tong' magazine, renamed 'The Indo' lives on to this day with Rene Creutzburg as editor and publisher, who in 2007 was awarded a Royal ribbon in the 'Order of Orange-Nassau' for his efforts over the past 44 years. This Dutch and English language magazine is still an official body of the Indo Community Center 'De Soos', established by Tjalie Robinson in 1963.

His Tong Tong Fair remains an annual event in the Hague and many Pasar Malam events inspired by it are held throughout the Netherlands yearly.