TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search results
Popular Reads
Top Results
No results found. Please check your search term and try again
Can't find what you're looking for?
View all search resultsFestivities and restraint as Indonesia marks 81 years of independence
From boat races and traditional cooking competitions to cracker-eating contests, Indonesians across the country took part in traditional games and festivities to mark the 81st anniversary of independence on Monday, while some communities have opted for more subdued celebrations following a series of natural disasters and amid continued economic pressures.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Set as preferred source
A silhouette of participants attempting to reach the top of a greased pole on Monday during an annual traditional pole-climbing competition held to mark Indonesia’s Independence Day in the Cilincing area of North Jakarta. (JP/Iqro Rinaldi)
F
rom boat races and traditional cooking competitions to cracker-eating contests, Indonesians across the country took part in traditional games and festivities to mark the 81st anniversary of independence on Monday, while some communities opted for more subdued celebrations following a series of natural disasters and amid continued economic pressures.
In Batam, Riau Islands, motorboats and speedboats ferried thousands of residents to Belakang Padang district in Penawar Rindu Island on Monday morning for an annual boat-racing festival that has been held for decades.
The island, which lies near Singapore and along an international shipping route, hosted the Penawar Rindu Sea Race as part of celebrations marking Indonesia's Independence Day.
Belakang Padang district head Abdul Hanafi said the annual event aimed to preserve the maritime traditions of the island community while bringing residents together.
"The event is a way to preserve the maritime traditions that are deeply rooted in the lives of the people of Belakang Padang, while also celebrating independence in this coastal area," Hanafi said.
He added that for local residents, the sea is more than a source of livelihood or a stretch of water surrounding their homes. It is a defining part of their identity and a bond that connects the island community.
Meanwhile, at Legian Beach in Bali, dozens of foreign nationals joined traditional Independence Day games, including cracker-eating contests, sack races and tug-of-war, as part of celebrations marking Indonesia's 81st anniversary.
