Together Mapalus celebrates a coming together of voices that matter in the Pacific Northwest through shared meaning, solidarity and mutual aid. Mapalus is a Minahasan word that means, “working together for each other.” It is more commonly known as gotong royong in greater Indonesia. Minahasa is the name of the unified tribes and their ancestral lands in the North East of the Indonesian archipelago on the island of Sulawesi, close to the Philippines. Together Mapalus produces and publishes works by multi-heritage Minahasan artists, writers and story-keepers. The songs and narratives that you will hear encompass parts of endangered languages and arts. Together Mapalus helps foster culture-sharing before these languages and arts go extinct. We celebrate the blessing of collaboration on the 60th anniversary, third edition of local Pacific Northwest author Martha Lohn’s heroic true survival tale. A memoir written twenty years from her release as a prisoner of war during the Japanese occupation of war-torn Minahasa, Indonesia, formerly the colonial Dutch East Indies.

Blue Skies, Troubled Waters

Learn about mapalus or gotong royong in Martha Lohn’s 60th Anniversary, third edition memoir. A gripping tale of an American twin girl battling the ravages of World War II. Set in the jungles and villages of Minahasa, Indonesia, her story begins when her father was deported there from the United States because he was undocumented. As Ath, and her sister, Kath, navigate a world marred by conflict, their experiences mirror the indomitable spirit of their family and village. From the harrowing escape from a burning house to the resilient camaraderie that springs from shared hardship. Every page paints a vivid picture of the power of mapalus. Stay-tuned for details!