Istori Manokwari: Oral History Interview with a Dutch Veteran of the Papua Conflict

Interview IM15 is a 2-hour, 52-minute life narrative from a Dutch conscripted marine stationed in Manokwari in 1961. The veteran, from a hospitality family, details combat experiences, prisoner-of-war encounters, and relationships with Papuans, followed by a post-service career in hospitality and humanitarian work in the region. The interview was conducted by E. Markus and is part of the ISTORIMANOKWARI project hosted by DANS Data Station Social Sciences and Humanities.

Use Cases

• Analyzing personal narratives of military service based on the detailed life story and combat experiences described.
• Studying cross-cultural relationships between soldiers and local populations based on the mention of bonds with Papuans.
• Researching post-military career transitions and humanitarian work based on the veteran's later roles in hospitality and the 'Manusia Papua' aid organization.

Strengths

• Interview duration is precisely documented as 2 hours and 52 minutes.
• The life narrative covers a specific historical period (deployment in 1961) and a distinct geographic area (Manokwari, Papua).
• The description provides concrete narrative elements including team spirit, firefights, prisoners of war, and a serious injury.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The audio/video file format and transcription availability are unspecified.

Provenance

Source

DANS Data Station Social Sciences and Humanities Collection

Collection Method

Oral history interview conducted by a researcher (E. Markus).

Time Range

Interview covers events from 1961 onward, with recording date unspecified.

Freshness

Last updated 2025-10-24 04:14:51; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Manokwari, West Papua (Indonesian Vogelkop region), and the Netherlands.