Thousands of students from South Bolaang Mongondow take part in a traditional parade called taptu to commemorate the 71st anniversary of Indonesia’s independence on the eve of Independence Day on Aug. 16. JP/Lita Evangeline Aruperes

Royal horse­-drawn carriage Ki Jaga Raksa carries the very first Indonesian flag during a ceremony at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday. The flag was hand sewn by the late Fatmawati, Indonesia’s first First Lady. The carriage was sent from Purwakarta regency. JP/Seto Wardhana

Musicians Slank and Raisa perform during Independence Day celebrations at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Aug. 17. JP/Seto Wardhana.

Bajo people and villagers of Torosiaje, Popayato Pohuwato, Gorontalo, carry out a flag-hoisting ceremony on Wednesday on their boats. After the ceremony, the residents held various competitions, such as tug­of­war on the boats and planted71,000 mangrove trees.JP/Syamsul Huda M.Suhari

After hoisting red­and­white flags on Losari Beach in Makassar, South Sulawesi on flyboards, two members of the Water Ski and Motor Boat Association (Popsa) salute while hovering in the air. The event was organized by the Makassar Agriculture, Fisheries and Maritime Agency, involving representatives from 11 islands in Makassar and members of the water ski association. Mayor Ramdhan Pomanto attended the ceremony. JP/Andi Hajramurni

A member of the South Sulawesi Water Ski and Motor Boats Association carries an Indonesian flag while riding a flyboard on Losari Beach, Makassar, South Sulawesi. JP/Andi Hajramurni

About 600 participants of a ceremony on Baron Beach in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, swim 200 meters from the beach to hoist flags at sea. The event was organized by Baron’s search and rescue team and saw the participation of many locals. JP/ Alb Magnus Kus Hendratmo

Government officials, students and other residents travel by boat to participate in a flag-hoisting ceremony at sea in Kampung Laut district in Cilacap regency, Central Java, on Wednesday. JP/Agus Maryono

Residents of Kampung Laut, Cilacap, Central Java witness an Independence Day flag-hoisting from their boats. A large part of Kampung Laut borders the sea. JP/Agus Maryono

Two surfers on Kuta Beach, Bali carry their boards while Indonesian Military members hoist Indonesian flags riding jet skis in the background, on Tuesday, a day ahead of Independence Day. Thousands of people participated in hoisting 2,112 flags. JP/Zul Trio Anggono

A dog dons an Indonesian flag in celebration of Independence Day during the hoisting of 2,112 flags on Kuta Beach, Bali, on Tuesday. JP/Zul Trio Anggono

A surfer walks past a group of students carrying Indonesian flags on Baron Beach, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. JP/Alb Magnus Kus Hendratmo

Residents of Tejokusuman in Ngampilan, Yogyakarta, hold an Independence Day ceremony on the Winongo River, Wednesday. It was the first time residents held the ceremony in the river, which they did to maintain harmony between the riverbank people and the river. JP/ Aditya Sagita

Members of bicycle community Paguyuban Onthel Djogjakarta (Podjok) participate in an Independence Day ceremony at Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta on Wednesday. The event, conducted in the Javanese language, has been organized for the past 10 years. Community members would later cycle southward to Yogyakarta’s zero kilometer and ended their journey at Water Castle Taman Sari. JP/ Aditya Sagita

Two foreign tourists pose for a picture with a member of bicycle community Paguyuban Onthel Djogjakarta (Podjok) after an Independence Day ceremony at Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta. JP/ Aditya Sagita

A choir from the Indonesian Christian Church in Kebonjati, Bandung, sings the national anthem, “Indonesia Raya” (Great Indonesia) before Independence Day service on Wednesday. Priest Timothy Setiawan said in his sermon that independence meant the freedom to live and having rights as a citizen without discrimination. JP/Arya Dipa

A group of people give their all during a tug-­of-­war competition in Banyumanik, Semarang, Central Java. Tug-­of­-war is among favorite activities during Independence Day celebrations. JP/Suherdjoko

Women prisoners from Bulu prison fall down while participating in a walk-­the­-plank race in Kedungpane prison on Monday, when hundreds of thousands of prisoners in participated in Independence Day celebrations. JP/Suherdjoko

Prisoners of Sukun correctional facility in Malang, East Java, take part in a walk­-the­-plank race on Monday. The prison attempted to break the record for the most participants in a walk­-the­-plank race. JP/Aman Rochman

Marsel (right), a blind man, heads toward the finish line in a sack race during Independence Day celebrations in Wyata Guna, Bandung on Wednesday. Wyata Guna is a social facility for the blind owned by the Social Affairs Ministry. JP/Arya Dipa

Children of evicted families on Jl. Stasiun Barat in Bandung take part in a cracker­ eating contest during Independence Day celebrations on the site of their former homes on Wednesday. Psychology students volunteered to organize the celebration for the children, whose homes were demolished by state railway company PT KAI, recently. JP/Arya Dipa

Kindergartners and preschoolers participate in a parade in Mandolang, Minahasa regency in North Sulawesi, on Tuesday. JP/Lita Evangeline Aruperes

Junior high school students from Waemokel Catholic school in Kota Komba, East Manggarai, Flores in East Nusa Tenggara play a bamboo pole game locally called sanggu alu on Wednesday to celebrate Independence Day. JP/ Markus Makur