We created the visual identity for Sama Nimma, a festival organized by the Indonesian–Dutch communities in Nijmegen to mark 80 years of cultural heritage from the former Dutch East Indies. The event is both a remembrance and a celebration, filled with dance, music, food, rituals, and stories passed through generations.
Sama sama means togetherness, and this is what the festival is all about: a space to connect, reflect, and celebrate, not only within the Indonesian–Dutch communities but also with the wider Nijmegen audience. Our challenge was to create an identity that felt inclusive and celebratory, deeply rooted in tradition yet fresh and contemporary. Something that would feel inviting to everyone.
We found inspiration in batik, Indonesia’s renowned textile art, and in particular the Parang motif, which is one of the oldest basic batik patterns, today a symbol of this country’s cultural identity. In Indonesian culture, each motif carries meaning, and Parang symbolizes strength, courage, and unbroken bonds. Its flowing shapes are said to echo ocean waves that never stop moving.
We reinterpreted the Parang motif to create a layered visual system, where overlapping patterns form a dynamic, never-ending composition that reinforces the idea of continuity. The festival logo was custom-drawn to echo the rhythm of the motif's shapes, integrating seamlessly with the pattern so that type and textile feel like one.
Working closely with the event organizer, we applied this system across all touchpoints: city posters, website banners, Instagram posts, and a printed program brochure. For the festival day, we designed location banners, wayfinding signage, and other visual elements, taking care of every detail.
Every project developed at our studio requires us to immerse ourselves in new worlds, to discover new stories, to learn new perspectives. Special thanks to Marjolein Hordijk (True Believer Events) and Oscar Ekkelboom (Stichting PION) for your trust and the inspiring conversations that helped shape this identity.