August 17th – Indonesia’s Independence Day. Really glad the day has come. Our flag is hoisted all across the nation and ceremonies are held everywhere. On 18th August 2008 Total held the annual celebration with various shows. It was held on a soccer field in Total housing Complex. A lot of food there.. Popular food from all over Indonesia. The funny thing is that they displayed this giant poster '40 years celebrating energy for all'. I didn't expect this one.. we can say the event was still part of Total E&P’s 40th anniversary celebration. The shows were not so bad, they got theater, traditional dances, poems, etc.. But the best part is Project Pop's live performance. They made the whole crowd dance to their songs..
Back home, after all these celebration somehow I remember question like.. 'are we fully liberated?, apakah kita sudah benar- benar merdeka??' posed by anybody who doubts about their freedom. We all know The Indonesian declaration of Independence was proclaimed on August 17, 1945. But for many people in this country, we are not independent in the real meaning. While from reading Butet Kartaredjasa's blog, I found these words that had me thinking about this country's condition.
”Lomba Makan Kerupuk dan Panjat Pinang itu kan sindirian rakyat terhadap cita-cita kemerdekaan.” Maksudnya? Itu kan ejekan kepada para pemimpin, bahwa untuk sepotong krupuk pun rakyat masih harus berjuang keras untuk bisa mengunyahnya. Itu artinya para pemimpin yang dipercaya menjadi nakhoda bangsa ini masih konsisten menyelenggarakan kemiskinan rakyatnya.
”Lha soal panjat pinang,” sergah saya. ”Lihatlah orang-orang yang menyangga di bawah yang menjadi tumpuan orang yang memanjat ke atas. Yang di bawah meringis kesakitan menyangga beban, sementara yang di atas tertawa kegirangan karena berhasil memetik hadiah.”
The quotes above mention two traditional games that are regularly played during the celebration of independence day; lomba makan kerupuk (crackers eating competition) and panjat pinang (pole climbing).
Crackers eating competition that's held every year on our independence day is 'maybe' a mockery to our leaders.. only for a piece of cracker, people still have to work hard to eat it. So, MAYBE when this competition stops, that's when our nation really can celebrate REAL independence day..