a Son of Porto

Nineteenyearold Bendja was born in the Netherlands but his roots are in Moluccas His father writer Frans Lopulalan understands his sons desire to touch Moluccan soil he shares that wish The two decide to travel to the village of Porto on Saparua island where Frans deceased father a former KNIL soldier used to live Verhaagen follows them on their trip to the tropics A trip that the two men experience in different ways Frans writes a lot and visits the ground where his fathers house once stood Bendja dives into the daily village life He also wonders if he shouldnt resume his ancestors battle Frans has mixed feelings about this I hope he can identify with being Moluccan without it necessarily causing him to reject his life in Holland The personal experiences of father and son Lopulalan are complemented by significant archive footage