Tong Tong 1959 Heritage Magnet

In 1959, the first Pasar Malam Besar was held in the Houtrusthallen in The Hague. It was envisioned as a cultural living room for Indische Nederlanders who had recently arrived in the Netherlands—a space to reunite, share food, and preserve their heritage. The event was later renamed the Tong Tong Fair, taking its name from the traditional Southeast Asian wooden slit drum used to call communities together. This design honors that foundational moment of diaspora resilience. The Tong Tong remains a powerful symbol of gathering, signaling that no matter how far from the archipelago, the community still answers the call.