Slate: The project, which became the book Cream Cake and Paper Chains, The Netherlands in 100 Birthdays […], began when Njiokiktjien was named the national photographer of the Netherlands in 2013. The responsibilities that went with the honor were twofold: to create a body of work that represented Dutch culture and to act as a type of ambassador of Dutch photography.
The 2nd birthday of Vinesh Kalloe, celebrated in Harmelen, the Netherlands. His parents invited 250 friends and family to celebrate his birthday. ‘It is quite common to have big birthday celebrations in Hindu culture”, claims Vinesh’ father Sanjeev.
The 7th birthday of Sofie de Loo, celebrated in Oterleek, The Netherlands. Sofie’s parents hired a party planner, from My Greatest Party. They specifically plan birthday parties for kids. The theme of the party was Marie-Antoinette.
The 9th birthday of Simra Shanzay, celebrated in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands at her family’s home. Simra’s’ family is from Pakistan, they do not have a big tradition of celebrating birthday’s, but they always do one extra prayer on on the birthday. The prayer show here, with family is the standard evening prayer.
NETHERLANDS: // Cream cakes and paper chains, The Netherlands in a hundred birthdays // The 15th birthday Lara Doornbosch, is a sleep over with her friends in the back yard of her fathers home in Haarlem. Lara celebrated her birthday together with her father, but spend most of her time with her friends in a big tent in the back yard. The talked about boys all night. CREDIT: Ilvy Njiokiktjien
NETHERLANDS: // Cream cakes and paper chains, The Netherlands in a hundred birthdays // The 21st birthday of twins Adriaan and Eva Oudemans, celebrated in Amsterdam. Eva arranged a stripper to come and surprise her brother Adriaan. The friends and parents were all at the party. “It was great, but also weird that a woman undresses while everybody else is watching”, says Adriaan. CREDIT: Ilvy Njiokiktjien
The 30th birthday party of Christiane Anell and her friend Ellen Daems, was celebrated in a bar in Amsterdam. “We are both originally from the south of the Netherlands, where carnival is really big. That is why we decided to have a Super Hero party. Everybody had to dress up like a super hero, it was a great way to celebrate that life is not too serious yet.”
The ‘Forever 39’ birthday of millionaire business woman Marjan Strijbosch, the Coco Chanel from Brabant (a region of the Netherlands). The party was celebrated in her brand new penthouse overlooking the city of Eindhoven, the rebuilding of the penthouse cost millions. “This party cost me about 50.000 euro, very expensive but I wanted the best for my guests. I arranged valet parking at my pent house, there was a lift boy, and Marilyn Monroe sang Happy Birthday to me. I was born in America, but moved to the Netherlands when I was 17, I did not own anything, I am a self made millionaire.”
The 40th birthday surprise party of Robert Rietveld, also known as ‘Bertus’. He is the co-owner of Schorem, a well known old fashiond barbershop in Rotterdam. His colleagues threw a birthday bash at the barbershop. “The beard-culture in the Netherlands is at a peak, and this will last a while, so business is doing great. I did not see this surprise party coming, they even threw a cake in my face, bastards! But it was nice of them to organise something.”
The 46th birthday of Els Stam, celebrated at the windmill ‘De Hoge Molen’ in Nieuw-Lekkerland where she grew up in. “My parents moved out a few years ago, now my husband and I, and our kids are moving in in a couple of weeks. It is my dream to live in this windmill again. The beautiful nature, the quietness. One of my friends played the accordeon on my birthday, she sang an old Dutch windmill song, it was great.”
The 49th birthday of Petra Offerbeek-Van Buuren at the pharmaceutical company Simed International in Utrecht. It is a Dutch tradition that co-workers decorate the desk of the birthday celebrant. “It was a weird day, not only because of the desk, but also because of the day of National Mourning, because of flight MH-17 that crashed before my birthday.”
The 55th birthday of Thecla Koulen. “I had two outfits for my birthday, one in gold and one in purple. In Surinam, where I am from, it is tradition to celebrate your 50th in yellow, gold, and your 60th in purple. Because I am right in the middle, I decided to have both colours. There were at least 150 people at my birthday and we sang ‘A di mi yere yu friyari’, a happy birthday song.”
The 60th birthday party of Rikelt van den Hooven, who works at the post office. “We have been going to the same campsite, in Castricum aan Zee, for over 25 years. It is great place and everybody knows everybody. I celebrated my birthday party at the trailer/caravan this year. All the neighbours pulled up chairs. It is a campsite with lots of people from Amsterdam, it used to be more fun back in the days, because in recent years a lot of rich people from the centre of Amsterdam started showing up. It has changed the atmosphere.”
The 67th birthday of inmate John van V., in the prison in Vught. “I received weekend leave on my birthday, very luck. On the day I had to be back in the prison, I wanted to celebrate it with my fellow inmates. I wanted to make a big cake or something, but in the end I didn’t, we just ate soup. When I get out of here, I want to make a big cruise with my partner. I don’t want to see my family anymore, they just wanted to have contact with me because I had loads of money. That’s also the reason I am in prison right now.”
The 75th birthday of Aaltje Hooikammer, in Staphorst. “When I don’t wear my traditional clothing, I don’t feel right. I have always lived in Staphorst, and in this town traditional wear is still seen, although the new generation is not wearing it anymore, they want to be more fashionable. All the clothing is hand made, I make my own. Each piece of clothing has a meaning, a black top for instance means we are mourning over a lost family member.”
The 80th birthday of Willem Zwiers, celebrated in the dunes close to Wijk aan Zee. “Three times a week we run with a group through the dunes of Wijk aan Zee. We have been doing this for years. I usually set the route, but on my birthday the group told me I had to follow their route. They took me to this bench, it had a very special sign on it, with my name. I was speechless. The bench is now seen by everybody who passes it while walking or running, what an honour.”
The 81th birthday celebration of Chiu Yuk Tang, celebrated in the Tay Way House in Utrecht, a community living centre for people from China living in the Netherlands. “Once a month we celebrate all the birthday’s in the house, on a monday mooring. Everybody brings home made food, like bami, or pizza. We all sang happy birthday together, but within 15 minutes the party is over, we eat quickly, so afterwards the ladies can play Mahjong on the tables.”
The 84th birthday of Roelof Akkerman celebrated in care facility Talma Hiem in Balk, the Netherlands. “My wife has got dementia, in an early stage, when we got dressed into our nice clothes on the morning of my birthday, she thought we were dressing up for church. She can be very confused at times. I had six brothers, 5 sisters, of whom one is my twin sister. I only have 3 brothers and my twin left, the rest of them passed away. I always worked as a farmer, but in my younger days I was a craftsman and made wooden Dutch shoes by hand. They were called ‘Akkerman wooden shoes’, it was a family business and everybody around owned a pair.”
The 85th birthday of Louisa Wolfjager, in Nieuwegein. “I have lived in Nieuwegein for 34 years, I have seen my neighbour kids grow up, I don’t want to leave this town, it is great. Originally I am from Surinam, but I moved in the 80’s, to see my grandchild more. Not of of my kids were at my party this year, but they were all there when I turned 80.
The 86th birthday of Hans Go in Amstelveen. “I organised a bridge drive on my birthday, my friends and I love to play bridge. I also organised a happy hour and a diner. My friends and I came from Indonesia to the Netherlands in 1948. Most of us have had good jobs, doctors, lawyers and so on. We did not have the chance to do higher education in Indonesia, that is why we came to the Netherlands, to study. During our time at the university we had many parties, always in smoking. That is why we still celebrate in style.”
The 88th birthday of Brother Salvius Huisintveld in the monastery in Tilburg. “The days are all the same in the monastery. In the morning they bathe me, and dress me and I have breakfast in my room. I also read the bible in the morning. At 10:30 they bring me downstairs for breakfast, I will smoke a sugar as well. On my birthday we can all drink one alcoholic beverage, it is only allowed at birthdays. But we live here with about 20 people, so there are enough birthdays in a year, so always time for a drink.”
The 90th birthday of Riet Mohlman, at a Chinese restaurant in Warnsveld. “To become old is fun, but to actually be old is less fun. Everybody is excited to be alive, but people above 80 always have some trouble with their health. I do too, my heart is not good. My husband, who celebrated his birthday together with me, he turned 89, is becoming forgetful. But the most important thing on my birthday was to be surrounded by my family, it was beautiful.
The 91st birthday of Tebiena Moltmaker, in Zuidlaren. “When I was a little girl and I used to hear a motor cycle, I would get off my bike and stop to listen and see the motor cycle pass by. I was always amazed by the sound, it is great. It was my big dream to once ride a motor bike. My kids knew this and arranged a ride in a motor cycle with sidecar for my 91th birthday! It was amazing, although the wind hurt my ears a bit. We drove past everything that is of any importance in my life. The farm where I lived and work with my husband when he was still alive. We drove through town, it was amazing. I remembered my life at the farm, it was always tough, but beautiful.