The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Independence Day was celebrated in style across the country Friday, with Indonesia's diverse cultures bringing their own special touches to the day.
Ceremonies, games and speeches were held on every island, with Papuans holding a bakar batu stone burning ceremony and Yogyakartans embracing traditional rituals.
In South Sulawesi, more than 100 divers hoisted the nation's flag deep under the sea as various games for adults and children were organized across the country to celebrate the moment.
Enthusiastic Papuans turned up for the stone burning ritual, which originated in the province's Pegunungan Tengah region.
Seven pigs, dozens of chickens and piles of vegetables were prepared for the food ritual, which started with a hole in Mandala field in Jayapura.
The hole was filled with the food, with each layer separated by leaves. The top was then closely covered with more leaves before hot stones were placed above to cook the food.
In Timika, Mimika regency, the flag was hoisted by residents dressed in Kamoro tribal costumes for the ceremony in Nayaro hamlet.
Unlike previous years, the celebration involved all residents, with various games, including soccer and more traditional activities, and a Kamoro dance competition getting huge interest from residents wanting to win prizes.
Head of Nayaro hamlet in Mimika Baru district, Herman Apoka, said the high number of residents taking part was proof that Nayaro hamlet did not harbor a separatist group.
""I disagree with the separatist stigma burden upon Nayaro hamlet. Our residents are 100-percent Indonesian citizens,"" he said.
In South Sulawesi's capital city Makassar, 136 divers from various diving clubs commemorated the day by hoisting the flag 12 meters deep on a 10-meter-high pole for 45 minutes in Lanjukang Island waters.
Andi Januar Jaury Darwis, head of the event's organizing committee who also presided over the ceremony, said the event did not trivialize the day's importance.
""The procession was the same as a regular flag-hoisting ceremony, only this time it was held under the sea,"" he said.
Andi said the event, the first in the country in terms of its procession and participants, was intentionally held under the sea to show the need to preserve the country's waters.
A day earlier, hundreds of students and residents held rally in Makassar, declaring their opposition to separatist movements and set fire to the outlawed flags of the Free Papua Movement, the South Maluku Republic and the Free Aceh Movement.
Meanwhile, over a hundred residents of quake-devastated Bawuran village in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta turned up for a prayer ritual in traditional Javanese attire.
""I am happy that I can join a ceremony to pay my respects to our freedom fighters,"" said resident Nuryati.
A similar prayer ritual was also organized in Pinggit, Yogyakarta.
""We pray the country and Yogyakarta are free from a series of disasters,"" said Pinggit resident Bambang Sugiarto. ""But most importantly, we pray for our leaders to be honest and avoid corruption.""
In the heart of Yogyakarta, Gadjah Mada University commemorated the day by holding a ""corruption-free"" ceremony, organized by Yogyakarta Corruption Watch.
Denny Indrayana, who led the ceremony, read out the corruption-free proclamation.
""We, Indonesian citizens, who care about the corruption fight, declare we are free from corruption. We will fight any form of corruption, collusion and nepotism to its roots.""
-- Nethy Dharma Somba from Papua, Markus Makur from Timika, Andi Hajramurni from Makassar and Slamet Susanto from Yogyakarta contributed to the story.
