Charmaine de Heij is of Surinamese and Dutch descent and with her photography project 'Mi Sabi', she investigates what it means to have a mixed heritage. This project shows Dutch and Surinamese identity. ‘Mi Sabi' shows characteristics of the two cultures and aspects of the traditions. The Netherlands and Suriname have a shared complex history through colonialism. From 1667 through 1954 Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands. This colonial past is still felt by many in the Surinamese community. In 1975 Suriname became independent from the Netherlands. The Surinamese culture has been integrated with the Dutch in many ways. The Surinamese diaspora is very large in the Netherlands. The project shows the identity of the diaspora which is “a continuous play of history, culture and power” (Hall, 1990). The cultures are connected, but they can also clash in the present time. This collision emerges in the celebration of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet in the Netherlands. Sinterklaas is a white male, who yearly arrives in the Netherlands with his servants; the ‘Zwarte Pieten’. Zwarte Piet is a figure which is racist and is stemming from colonialism. Stuart Hall once wrote; “Culture is about shared meaning” (1997) , this celebration does not have a shared meaning in the shared culture. This subject is also explored in 'Mi Sabi'. ‘Mi Sabi' shows cultural symbols from both cultures. The series gives a glimpse into the mixed cultures and hopes to start a dialogue with the viewer and arouse understanding of coming from two cultures. ‘Mi Sabi’ shows a complex, but shared, relationship between two countries.