Erasmus Huis presents

SOUNDWRITERS: INDONESIAN DIASPORA MUSIC (1969-1989)
Listening Session & Book Presentation with Sekan and Munir

Thursday, October 22, 2026
17:30

Erasmus Huis
Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav. S-3
Jakarta Selatan

FREE
No reservation is required, you can come directly to the Erasmus Huis

About Soundwriters
The event is based on the book “Soundwriters: The Incomplete Guide to Indonesian Diaspora Music (1969-1989)”, written by Michiel Sekan with additional research by Harry “Munir” Septiandry. Through selected records, personal stories and a teaser for the film “Batik, Beats & Bumbu”, they explore how music travels across generations, borders and memory, highlighting how Indonesian musicians in the Netherlands blended memories of home with soul, pop and other local influences. The session brings archival material back into spaces where it can be heard, shared and rediscovered together. The book itself combines archival research, personal reflection, and a catalogue of 62 recordings by Indo-European, Moluccan, Papuan, Javanese Surinamese, Peranakan and broader Indonesian diaspora artists whose work shaped postcolonial Dutch culture.

About Jiwa Jiwa
Founded by Sekan in 2016, Jiwa Jiwa began as a record label focused on music from the Indonesian archipelago and its diaspora, and has since grown into a wider platform spanning radio, exhibitions, listening sessions, publishing and cultural projects. Moving across funk, soul, jazz and disco to psychedelic pop, rock, and traditional and contemporary percussion-heavy music, Jiwa Jiwa uncovers overlooked recordings from the archipelago and builds bridges between past and present, Indonesia and its diaspora, and scenes that might otherwise remain separate. Michiel Sekan is an Amsterdam-based DJ, curator and multidisciplinary artist, whose works link record collecting with archival study and personal history.