Waterloo man learns about his Surinamese heritage with help from Kitchener researcher
Nigel Gordijk of Waterloo, Ont., says he knew so much about his mother’s family history, but very little about his father’s family, and it made him feel “unbalanced.”
“Most of my life I’ve been curious about their story and that side of my ancestry,” he said in an interview with CBC.
Growing up in the United Kingdom, he said he had a strong sense of his Chinese heritage because it was well-documented by his mother’s family members.
“I knew so much about one side of my family and virtually nothing about the other side,” Gordijk said. “It felt unbalanced.”
Driven by curiosity and a desire to fill the gaps in his family narrative, Gordijk embarked on a journey of self-discovery, which was difficult at first considering the lack of information passed down through generations and the language barrier when it came to tracing his Surinamese lineage.
“Suriname used to be a Dutch colony and I don’t speak Dutch, so conducting research would have been impossible for me,” he said.
Nigel Gordijk of Waterloo says his father’s family history was a mystery to him and others growing up and it left him feeling “unbalanced.” In 2020, he started to research his father’s family.
A newfound sense of identity and belonging
Fate intervened when Gordijk was given the name of Kitchener historian and researcher Peggy Plet. She offered to help trace his father’s family.
“I reached out to Peggy because I wanted to buy a copy of her book. It was about a Surinamese inventor. I wanted to read about someone who was well known within that community,” Gordijk said.
Plet, who has spent 25 years delving into Surinamese Black history, was eager to assist Gordijk in his quest for answers.
Upon learning of his Surinamese ancestry, Plet used her expertise to trace Gordijk’s lineage back to slavery.
“Nigel gave me his grandfather’s last name and date of birth, thinking I could go one generation back. But I took him all the way back to slavery, basically,” Plet said.
Her expertise became the guiding light for Gordijk and he says he’s extremely grateful to her for her help. Plet says it’s rewarding to help someone discover their history.
“It moves me to see his reaction,” she said, “I’m so proud of him, to see how he has dealt with this information and how he has shared it.”
Peggy Plet is a historian and researcher based in Kitchener who was able to track down information on Nigel Gordijk’s father’s family history. She talks about what it was like to help him and how people often react to finding out details about their family’s history, especially when it could be distressing.
Her impact extended beyond providing Gordijk with vital information; she offered him a sense of closure and belonging, he said.
Their journey together was not merely about uncovering names and dates but about navigating the emotions that come with confronting a painful past.
Learning about his enslaved great-great-grandmother, Betje, who fought for the freedom of her children, was a pivotal moment in Gordijk’s journey.
“She earned enough money to buy the freedom of her children even though she was enslaved,” he said.
“She freed four of them first and one of them was freed by someone else.”
‘Makes me feel so much more complete’
Gordijk says he now has a better understanding of where he comes from and what his ancestors went through in order to pave the way for him.
“It just makes me feel so much more complete. Finding out the names of the last people in my family who were enslaved was transformative,” he noted.
Nigel Gordijk of Waterloo began to research his family’s history, particularly his father’s side, because very little was known about it. Local historian Peggy Plet helped him discover more about his heritage and Gordijk says having that information has made him feel “more complete.”
As he continues to navigate through the layers of his family’s history, he has found a newfound sense of identity and belonging.
“I actually embrace my Chinese side much more,” he said. “I owe so much to the people who came before me.”
In Plet’s eyes, witnessing Gordijk’s reaction and growth throughout the journey has been deeply gratifying.
“I’m so proud of him and how he has dealt with this information,” Plet said. “It’s been an honour to be part of his journey.”
For Gordijk, the journey doesn’t end with the discovery of his Surinamese heritage. It’s a testament to the resilience and strength of his ancestors, whose legacy continues to shape his identity.
“To know that they survived when so many didn’t is tremendously powerful,” Gordijk said. “I owe them a debt, and that’s how I try to live my life now — to honour that debt.”
