Celebrating Indonesian Independence Day
As we have reached the month of August, you may notice many festivities revolves around Indonesia’s Independence Day and the country’s rich and vibrant culture.
So… let’s talk about what to do on Indonesian Independence Day celebration, and how to be a better Indonesian citizen in commemorating the victorious day.
1. Participate in Flag hoisting ceremony
We repeat, participate.
All eyes will be latched on to the most solemn ceremony in Independence Day’s celebration; the flag hoisting at the State Palace, televised live on the August 17th morning. The official flag raising ceremony is led by the President and Vice President, and attended by the cabinet, military brass, family members of the current and preceding presidents, diplomatic corps and honored guests. Cultural performances from various provinces will also be the main highlight.
While you might need an invitation to attend the ceremony at the State Palace, there’s always a flag hoisting ceremony happening in your neighborhood, office complex, and also schools and universities. Each and every one of us is a part of some community, so ask around, put on your batik dress or shirt and pay your respect and gratitude to this beautiful country
2. Get to know your neighbor by joining in traditional games
Our house might be elbow to elbow with the next-door neighbor. But that does not guarantee us for knowing their names. We get it, we are all busy. Enter the good ol’ neigbourhood competition, where people usually gather for a little friendly neighborhood traditional games and fun. The games include sack races and a kerupuk or cracker eating contest, where participants race to eat a giant cracker hanging from a string with their hands tied behind their back.
It’s an opportunity to get your kids (or you) off the gadgets, and chat away about the country’s development, what is happening with each other’s families, or simply, where to have the best Indonesian food around the neighborhood.
3. Ditch the malls and trace the museums
It is essential to understand the history of a place, let alone your very own country. Museums are the best places to go for this, filled with art, artifacts and mementos of culture. Here in Bali, the culture is rich and to learn and understand it you’ll need to go to the places that display this culture in the best way.
That’s why we’ve collected a list of the best museums in Bali which not only present the past, but also show a peek of the island’s future.
4. A tour of Indonesia’s authentic cuisines
Every Independence Day, Bali’s finest culinary establishments usually go all out in parading their interpretation of Indonesian food, including this year. We say this is the best time for you to try different kind of Indonesian food, in the best possible atmosphere.
5. Get artsy and smarty
Watching historical films is one of the way to get to know our history better. This month of August, historical films often make a comeback during Independence Day as a way of revving up national pride and patriotism. Soekarno, Kartini, or Laskar Pelangi can be a good option. They’re also a good way to brush up the country’s history. An older movie worth dusting off is “Tjoet Nja’ Dhien” about an Indonesian heroine from Aceh.
Another simple thing? Do a sing-along of traditional or national songs with your children, or do a trivia of anything related to Indonesia.
6. Give Back to the community
There are many simple ways to show pride in Indonesia, from joining a rubbish collection campaign to buying local products or even donning a traditional batik patterned shirt. In many neighborhoods, people will perform communal work known as gotong-royong, which often involves gathering to clean up their neighborhood together.
While such activities are popular during Independence Day, however, they would be best to practice for the whole year. Want a bigger outreach? pick a humanitarian cause you can support for a year.
7. Mind your taxes
We know, we know. Tax report is not due until the month of March. This is my it’s important to have a quick check up on it. Set a day or two to sort the paperwork with your accountant to make sure you are on top of everything when the report is due.
Same goes to all the bills you need to pay such as security fee, housing cleaning service, water.
And last but actually the foremost, stand tall and proud to say “Merdeka!”
Source: https://whatsnewindonesia.com/indonesia-independence-day/