Independence Day!

Today, August 17, is Indonesia’s 63rd Independence Day. Everybody is expected to display the flag in his resident, office, or bussiness place. Flag sellers are sprout everywhere during this time. Big size, medium size, normal size and small size to be attached at your car are easy to find.

In the morning students assemble at schools to salute the flag and sing the national anthem. Goverment officer are expected to assemble at their office to salute the flag and sing the national anthem as well.

At noon everybody takes part at their neighboor activities. Every neighborhood has a full day of activity. Usually every family asked to contribute some money to help with the celebration weeks before. They start the day with games for young kids – since they don’t have to assemble at schools. Sport competition such as badminton, futsal, volley usually had started two weeks before.

One of the favourite game in this special event is “Makan Kerupuk”. (Krupuk: dried, mildly spiced wafers made of shrimp and tapioca flour, which when deeprinsed fried swell to many times their original size). The krupuk is hanging from the ceiling, bar or anything so it would be daggling right in front of your mouth. The objective is to finished the krupuk as fast as you can without using your hands. "Tarik Tambang (Tug War)" is another enjoyable game played by children, women and men.

And the finale is "The Panjat Pinang (Climbing the palm tree)". The objective is to climb up to the top and get the prizes which hung around it. The prizes might be anything from a set of keys to a new motorcycle to towels and plastic buckets. Sounds easy huh? But the palm tree is greased up all the way through… Make it harder and tough enough to be conquered. The challenge of the game makes cooperation and strategy an essential requirement of success. It is impossible to climb up the 5 to 8 meter slippery pole on your own. The only way to reach the top is to team up and create a human pyramid around the base of the pole.