The Story So Far

Ama Ina is the pen name of Dutch-Moluccan writer Sarina Tahitu. Growing up in a warm, close-knit home, she was surrounded by stories, song, and tradition (adat)— a living heritage that still shapes her voice.

After years away from writing, her love for poetry was rekindled with the birth of a baby girl in the family. A single poem, offered as a gift, opened the door again, letting long-silent words return. This space grew from that moment, a place to share what once lived quietly in the heart.

Drawing deeply from the legacy of her Moluccan ancestry, the pen-name Ama Ina combines her two nicknames which also carry a layered meaning in the language of her Elders: Bahasa Atua. It symbolizes the harmonious balance between the masculine (Ama) and feminine (Ina), a reflection of both the holistic and dualistic nature her work often seeks to express.

Through poetry, storytelling, music and art — enriched by the creative contribution of her sisters and father — Ama Ina invites you here on a journey of connection and transformation, whether it is a gentle return or an introduction to the beauty and depth of her heritage.