This month marks the 77th anniversary of our country's independence, and we would not have arrived at where we are today if it were not for the heroic and valorous figures who fought for the sake of a better tomorrow.

In that spirit, The Jakarta Post assembled some of Indonesia's top artists to discuss the national heroes they herald as their role models, the unsung heroes that have been monumental in their careers and personal lives, how they define heroism itself and how young people can be their own knights in shining armor in these modern, unpredictable times.

Christie (25), singer, content creator

For me, Rasuna Said is my hero because she dared to criticize the Speekdelict law that was enforced by the Dutch imperialists at that time. She also supported gender equality and women's rights.

A little background, the Speekdelict law was a Dutch colonial law that stated that anyone who dared to speak against the Dutch would be punished. I admire her bravery, and even more so because, at that time, very seldom would a woman would challenge the patriarchy.

Even today there are still many women who might not be brave enough to speak up. It must have been very risky to speak up in that era. For me personally, my moral value as a woman is to always speak your mind and stand up for yourself.

In my career, I am a singer who loves to listen to and sing R&B music, so one of my heroes would be Jerry Wexler because he was the pioneer of R&B. Because of him, R&B became a popular music genre.

Wexler used to be a music journalist, then he turned to music producing and he was significantly influential in the American music scene from the ‘50s until the ‘80s. He was the one who coined the term "rhythm and blues" and he was an integral part of production for many music icons including Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan, two legends of R&B.

Democracy: Christie admires Rasuna Said for championing freedom of speech, gender equality and women's rights. (Courtesy of Musica Studios) (Courtesy of Musica Studios/Courtesy of Musica Studios)

In my personal life, I am so fortunate for having the guidance of my parents — in my career and my personal life. So I have to say, my parents are my heroes. I observe what unconditional love and unconditional support look like from them.

What makes someone a hero? A person who is admired for their incredible accomplishments or their valor or their great qualities or someone who brings forth change that reaches beyond the small scale and whose impact is long-lasting.

I believe young people can be heroes to each other by committing to what they love and by learning more. Therefore, once they are more up for it, they can contribute to their society. They can start from the small community around them, which could slowly expand to the national and, perhaps, even the global scope.

Jinan Laetitia (19), singer, songwriter, music producer

I have given some thought to the national heroes that I know of and whose stories I have heard of, and I guess the one that I find the most impactful would be Dewi Sartika. She is heralded as the pioneer of women's education in Indonesia which, at the time, was known as the Dutch East Indies.

She is very important to me because I was raised by a very strong mother who always told me to be the “best woman” and that means an intelligent one. I first heard of Dewi Sartika's story back when I was in elementary school and it was very impactful because I thought that, had she not established her schools, I might not have been able to pursue education right now.

In my personal life, the person I consider my hero is my dad. My definition of a hero is someone who is not only brave, but also an “enabler” — they lay down the foundation for the sake of future generations. Both of my parents are important figures in my life. My mom empowered me to have big dreams and work hard, but my dad is an “enabler” in a way that he made me able to do things that I do right now. So, yeah, perhaps the hero in my life is my dad.

I took the time to Google what the word hero means, and it is attributed to words like bravery or someone who has done something big and impactful. The way I see it, though, the most important part of being a hero is that they lay down the foundation that can be impactful both at the time of the action and in the coming future. Also, they enable great things from other people.

In these unpredictable times, the foundations could be shaky — especially in Indonesia. In my opinion, for young people to be their own heroes, we should enable each other: Young people who have big dreams as well. We should collaborate more and share the stage.

Nadhif Basalamah (22), singer, songwriter

The figure that sticks with me is Abdurrahman Wahid who served as the fourth president of our country. He was the type of personage who was able to unite people from all kinds of factions. He had this ability to integrate people despite their differing backgrounds. Even I have this wish that I will be able to be the bridge between people through my medium, which is music. As simple as that.

Of course, the people I consider my heroes are both of my parents. I understand that such an answer sounds very generic, but it is the truth. If they had not given me their support, their push and their wisdom, I don't think I would have been able to manage. I am not mature yet and my mindset can be childish sometimes, but every day is a maturing process and my parents exist in that process.

What makes someone a hero? I don't think they have to be well-known. As long as they are useful to their society, they have earned the right to be considered a hero — even if their impact does not reach a massive scale. That and also, someone who can shepherd others so that they can be useful to society as well.

Unity: Nadhif Basalamah looks up to Abdurrahman Wahid for his ability to unite people of different factions and backgrounds. (Courtesy of After School Records) (Courtesy of After School Records/Courtesy of After School Records)

I believe heroism should start from within ourselves. Every day I strive to reach maturity and “defeat” who I was the previous day so that I can be better in the present day. Like I said before, music is my medium now and I hope my music can serve as the anchor for as many people as possible.

Stevan Pasaribu (27), singer, actor

The national hero whom I consider my role model is Sisingamangaraja XII or, by his full name, Patuan Besar Sinambela with his title being Ompu Pulo Batu. Why? One of my biggest reasons being he originated from Toba, which is also my place of origin.

Both of us are Bataknese as well. He was so courageous in his fight against the Dutch and later on, he was declared a "National Hero of Indonesia" by our government on Nov. 9, 1961, under Presidential Decree number 590. That is why I admire him so much.

Another thing: My parents were the ones who first introduced me to the story of Sisingamangaraja XII and we visited his tomb as well. We got to see his family tree and as it turned out, it bore relations to my family, which is Pasaribu.

Courageous icon: Stevan Pasaribu admires the courageous heroism of Sisingamangaraja XII. (Courtesy of Musica Studios) (Courtesy of Musica Studios/Courtesy of Musica Studios)

The number-one hero of my life and my career is my family. If it were not for their support, I would not have become who I am today. Their support and their prayers are with me, including when things get tough. Secondly, I consider my friends and my fans my heroes as well. They are the reason for my strength and the place where I look for advice and consolation.

I define a hero as someone who is meritorious for their country, their people and anyone who needs them. How to become a hero? It is simple. You can start with your environment, such as assisting your family or your friends or the people in your surroundings — as capably and as prudently as you can.

Another simple example would be not tarnishing the environment. There is nothing wrong with picking up trash properly.