Jetty Mathurin & Gustaaf Terborg: A Family of Many Voices

She found her strength on stage. As an artist, teacher and musician, he brought his own creativity into their home. Together, Jetty Mathurin and Gustaaf “Guus” Terborg laid the foundations for a family in which stories, music and imagination continually find new forms. Their family history is also a story of migration, parenthood and the courage to ask one another difficult questions.

Those who know Jetty Mathurin as the outspoken Taante know a woman whose humour can stir powerful emotions. Behind the theatrical personality is a mother and grandmother whose choices have shaped subsequent generations. Her daughters Glynis and Nicole tell stories of their own. Her son Luc became the subject of a personal sports documentary. And among her grandchildren, the family’s artistic legacy continues to resonate.

From Suriname to Family Life in Brabant

In 1973, Jetty moved from Suriname to the Netherlands. Cuijk became her home for many years. There, she and Gustaaf built their family life with their daughter Glynis and, later, twins Nicole and Luc. Relatives shared in raising the children: Jetty’s sisters were also part of everyday life. In a joint interview, Jetty and Nicole described how natural that involvement felt at the time.

Creativity was part of the household. Gustaaf was an artist, teacher and musician; Jetty worked as a teacher and speech therapist before further developing her career in theatre. Art, language and self-expression were therefore familiar parts of the children’s upbringing.

Jetty: Making Room for Her Own Voice

Born in Paramaribo in 1951, Jetty Mathurin became a distinctive presence in Dutch theatre. Through Taante and her solo shows, she introduced Surinamese perspectives to a broad audience. Migration, identity and racism featured in her work, alongside the familiar dynamics between parents, children and partners.

An important moment came in 1989, when she performed in Iris, a monologue by Thea Doelwijt. This may have made her the first Black woman to perform a solo production at Amsterdam’s Stadsschouwburg. She herself remains cautious about such historical firsts.

Her breakthrough also demanded a great deal personally. In a recent interview, she described how unhappy she had become at one point and how essential it felt to take her talent for performing seriously. Moving to Amsterdam brought profound changes for the family. Her story reveals how much can lie behind a visibly successful career.

Gustaaf: His Own Place in the Family Story

Gustaaf deserves a place in this story in his own right. Interviews portray him as a quiet, observant artist. Nicole described her father as a philosopher, while Jetty explained that, after their relationship ended, they remained in contact about their children, grandchildren and everyday events.

Their marriage ended, but their connection as parents did not disappear. Nicole emphasised that her parents did not draw the children into their difficulties. This adds an important nuance to their history: a relationship can change while care and commitment endure.

Guus Terborg was a gifted guitarist, pianist and singer. He brought harmony to life through strings and keys. He wrote beautiful, timeless songs, often in Sranantongo.

Glynis: Imagination and Organisational Strength

Their eldest daughter, Glynis Terborg, built a versatile career as a writer, actor, director, illustrator and manager. She writes for programmes including Het Klokhuis and has worked on children’s books, films and theatre productions. Through Mathurin Management, she is involved in producing and managing projects for her mother and sister.

Her work combines imagination with organisation. She helps develop stories and ensures they reach an audience. Together with Jetty and Nicole, she also produced Kinship, a web series about a mother and her two daughters. Once again, family relationships became material for a shared creative project.

Nicole: The Question That Remained Unasked for Years

For journalist and presenter Nicole Terborg, her own family history became the starting point for Kweekje, mi kwekipikin. As a teenager, she moved from Brabant to live with her aunt in Amsterdam. Years later, she investigated why she, in particular, had been sent to live elsewhere.

The podcast connects that personal question with the history of children raised by relatives or other caregivers. In doing so, Nicole makes room for experiences that can coexist: the care a child receives, alongside uncertainty, loss and questions about belonging. Her exploration also touches on migration and the colonial past.

The series received international recognition: in 2024, the VPRO and Prospektor production won the Prix Europa for Best European Audio Documentary Series. A family story reached listeners far beyond its own community.

Luc and Dreams Beyond the Stage

Nicole’s twin brother, Luc, also became part of her journalism. In Mijn tweelingbroer de voetballer (My Twin Brother, the Footballer), she explored why a gifted striker ultimately did not become a professional footballer.

His story adds another dimension to this family portrait. Not every dream takes the form someone once hoped it would. What happens along the way deserves attention too.

A Legacy That Continues to Resonate

In the next generation, creativity takes on a new sound. Grandson Desai Breeveld, known as Ruskey, has spoken about how his love of music was influenced by his grandfather, a gospel guitarist. He also collaborated with Glynis on the children’s song about Keti Koti that won both the jury and audience awards at the 2025 Willem Wilmink Prize.

For SurinamStars, the strength of the Mathurin-Terborg family lies in this exchange. One family member performs, another writes, organises, composes or asks questions. Together, they show how cultural heritage stays alive: by engaging with it, discussing it and giving new generations the freedom to find their own meaning within it.