Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Migrants often leave interesting notes when carrying out activities in new areas. One of them is the story of Oesin, who was successful in the Netherlands.
As explained by Fadly Rahman in Homeland Taste (2023), Oesin was originally a slave and a vegetable trader in The Hague. He sells vegetables around using a cart pulled by a dog.
However, during the sales process, Oesin often attracted the public's attention. This attention was not due to negative issues, but because of his kindness when trading.
Even though he lives in the Netherlands, Oesin strongly adheres to Javanese cultural traditions. He is very simple, calm and humble in serving customers.
Likewise when there is haggling over prices. Everything can be resolved completely thanks to Oesin's trading style.
However, just as his name was rising, Oesin suddenly disappeared. After being investigated, it turns out he founded a restaurant called “Soeka Manah” on August 16 1922.
It is known that this restaurant specializes in selling typical Indonesian food which Den Haag residents really like. Call it rice, gado-gado, chili sauce, pecel, and all kinds of cakes.
Oesin as a chef has proven to be successful in pampering consumers' taste buds. On this basis, Soeka Manah developed quite rapidly several years after its founding.
Soeka Manah's success then became a blessing in itself for Oesin. It is true that his wealth is unknown, but thanks to this restaurant his life suddenly changed.
Proclamation Deli Courant Fadly Rahman quoted as saying that thanks to being a restaurant boss, Oesin suddenly turned into a king.
“[…] “We see the noble Oesin, different from his previous sad state with a background of living in slavery, full of patience in suffering, now he is a great king,” wrote Deli Courant.
Of course, changing oneself to become king is not in the context of power. What this means is Oesin's transformation into a respectable and more advanced figure.
He no longer wore clothes from the warehouse, but instead wore a typical European coat. Thanks to the opening of the restaurant, Oesin, who was once a slave and vegetable seller, became increasingly well known.
Oesin Restaurant would later become a place for Indonesians to hang out and also function as an agent for spreading Indonesian culinary specialties in Europe. Apart from that, in that place, the Islamic Composite organization often holds discussions to strengthen solidarity between Indonesians.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
(mfa/sef)