By Meryl Kao

 

▲Meryl visiting TMII, a local amusement park, on Indonesia’s Independence Day. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

Starting her internship in early August, Meryl Kao, fourth-year student in the International Master’s Program in International Communication Studies in NCCU, set off to Jakarta, Indonesia for her internship as a journalist in Indonesian news agency Antara, and in the hope of exploring the splendid culture and history behind the country.

 

Choosing her research topic for master’s thesis as the representation phenomenon of Southeast Asian migrant workers, Meryl has always had the hope of overturning some Taiwanese people’s rigid stereotypes against these workers.

 

“I think for some Taiwanese people, they have a very limited imagination about these migrant workers just because they don’t understand their culture and are not willing to understand, and I really hope to bring that shaded side to those people through my internship,” Meryl said.

 

▲Meryl with colleagues from Antara. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 13, 2024

 

Although with a strong ambition, Meryl didn’t come to Indonesia without any cultural shock. According to her, the most surprising thing in Jakarta would definitely be the traffic situation.

 

“I was really surprised by the traffic here, and more surprised about how people riding on motorcycles can survive under this condition,” Meryl laughed while sharing. “But it doesn’t take long for me to be one of them riding on the motor taxis.”

 

“In my first week here, I only dared to use the automobile option, apparently because the motorcycles look super dangerous shuttling back and forth in the traffic jam, but later when I found out these ‘Pak’ (Sir) were actually well trained, I decided to trust them,” Meryl said.

 

▲Common daily traffic jams in Jakarta. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

In Jakarta, instead of Uber or Line Taxi, people relied mostly on two transportation apps to move around, Gojek and Grab, and both of them had the options of either motorcycles or automobiles.

 

Being in the country having the biggest population of Muslims in Southeast Asia, Meryl admitted that it is also sometimes hard for her to adjust to the religion-oriented culture in Indonesia.

 

“In my opinion, locals are usually super nice, but in terms of my dressing style, I sometimes get stared at because I don’t really blend in, especially when I wear clothes exposing my limbs,” Meryl stated. “But I think that’s one of the things that I need to adjust to since I really want to respect the local culture fully.”

 

▲Meryl with local friends from Jakarta. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 13, 2024

 

According to Islamic teachings, modesty is an essential concept in Islam, and it plays a significant role in the way that Muslim women dress. It regulated aspects in life by not only covering one’s body, but also encompassing behavior, speech, and actions.

 

The importance of modesty in Islam can be traced back to the Holy Quran, central religious text of Islam, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

 

The Quran stated that men and women should lower their gaze and guard their chastity. This means that they should not look at others with lust and need to protect themselves from any situation that may lead to temptation.

 

Aside from her daily experience, Meryl also got many opportunities to soak herself in the rich culture and history of Indonesia while covering local stories such as Indonesia’s Independence Day.

 

Being one of the biggest festivals in the country, Indonesia’s Independence Day is usually celebrated with traditional activities and games on Aug 17.

 

▲Performers in TMII wearing traditional Indonesian costumes parade in the park to celebrate Independence Day. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

The history of Indonesia’s Independence Day can be traced back to the time of World War II. After the Dutch colonization for 350 years and Japanese colonization for 3 years, Indonesia gained its independence in 1945, and the Republic of Indonesia was later recognized as a nation state on 27 December 1949.

 

Since its announcement of Independence in 1945, Indonesian embassies and diplomatic offices around the world conduct the Flag Hoisting in the morning and the Flag Lowering Ceremony in the afternoon of Aug 17 annually.

 

Aside from the Flag Hoisting ceremony, traditional games such as Lomba Makan Kerupuk, a game involving people eating hung crackers as fast as possible, and Balap Kelereng, known as Marbles Race, are also far from uncommon in neighborhoods and corporations.

 

▲Participants of Lomba Makan Kerupuk eating crackers. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

This year, during its 79th Independence Day, Indonesia saw its first time holding the national day ceremony in two capitals, Jakarta and Nusantara. Neighborhoods and amusement parks, including TMII had various celebrations, responding to it on Saturday (Aug 17).

 

Meryl thus seized the chance to go to TMII and local neighborhoods to interview people celebrating the festival.

 

Being one of the event committee members for the I-Day celebration in one of the corporations in Central Jakarta this year, Esti Nurmi Oktaviani found every game held interesting because they brought people together, encouraging teamwork and sportsmanship.

 

▲Locals celebrating Independence Day in their neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

“I really love the vibes, and people embrace the day with enthusiasm and pride,” said Esti.

 

When asked about how she valued the importance of the I-Day, Esti believed the day symbolizes the end of centuries of colonial domination and the beginning of Indonesia's journey as an independent nation, representing the country’s successful struggle for sovereignty and national identity.

 

“It serves as an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history and the sacrifices made by those who fought for independence, and it’s also a moment to educate younger generations about the importance of freedom and the nation’s journey,” said Esti.

 

▲A local corporation in central Jakarta celebrating Indonesia's Independence Day. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

Esti also expressed that she is willing to help preserve Indonesia’s culture and national identity in the future through actions such as providing information on Indonesia’s diverse cultural practices, traditions, and history, and supporting traditional crafts and practices to ensure they remain valued and practiced.

 

“I think I will also collaborate with cultural experts and communities to understand their needs and priorities in preserving their heritage,” said Esti

 

▲Kids participating in games on Independence Day. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

This year, with the due relocation of the country’s capital, Indonesians celebrated its 79th I-Day commemoration with not only traditional games, but also various discounts and activities in amusement parks such as Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), a miniature park representing Indonesian cultural diversity.

 

In response to the Seventeenth, TMII adjusted its Individual ticket price from Rp 25,000 to Rp 7,900 on the day, and freed visitors sharing their name with Agus Salim, the hero of Indonesia’s independence, to enjoy free rides on the park’s gondola upon presentation of ID cards.

 

▲Young adults engage themselves in one of the traditional games held by TMII. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

In addition to the park’s annual parade, more than 14 traditional games and dance performances were held in TMII this year. According to statistics, about 30,000 visitors were attracted to the park.

 

TMII held many traditional games for both adults and children this year, and one of the games required participants to put pencils into bottles without using their hands (Pensil ke Botol).

 

Dava, a boy in his fourth grade of elementary school, participated in the Pensil ke Botol game and won second place with a prize.

 

“The games are for Indonesian independence, I know it because I have learned it in school from my teachers,” said Dava.

 

▲Dava participating in the Pensil ke Botol game. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

Another traditional game held this year is the tug of war game (Tarik Tambang), involving two parties on each side of a rope and with whoever pulls the other to their side being the winner, is to show Indonesia’s struggle when fighting for independence.

 

“I think the independence of Indonesia has made the youth of Indonesia more free to express their opinions and think critically without fear,” said Zahra, a 20-year-old girl participating in Tarik Tambang.

 

Zahra said she decided to celebrate the day in TMII because she wanted to find more inspiration, and it turned out the park was more exciting than in her neighborhood with the prize being more interesting.

 

▲One side of the participants in the tug of war game trying to bring the other side down. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

When asked about her opinion on the values of Pancasila, the official and foundational philosophical theory of Indonesia, Zahra believed as long as young adults like her still participate in the competitions provided, they can continue to apply the values of Pancasila.

 

“I think that’s really important because it can build your self confidence without being afraid of what outsiders think, like it doesn’t matter if they say you’re wrong, but what really matters is you have to believe in yourself,” said Zahra.

 

One of the most exciting games featured by the park this year is Panjat Pinang, which required a group of participants to climb an areca palm tree covered in oil and reach the prizes at the top.

 

▲Tourists to TMII involve themselves in the park’s celebration by joining Panjat Pinang. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

Fajarudin, a tourist participating in the Panjat Pinang game every year and won this year’s game in TMII, said he chose to celebrate the I-Day in TMII because of its scenery, friendly staff, and cheaper ticket this year.

 

“By climbing the areca palm tree, it can always remind us of the context of Indonesia's struggle, and we are remembering the first heroes who sacrificed for the country,” said Fajarudin.

 

Fajarudin believed that the process of climbing the tree is similar to how Indonesians gain independence.

 

“No matter how high the tree is, it’s all about Indonesia, and I think it is also important for the children to know about the value behind it,” said Fajarudin.

 

▲Meryl reporting about local traditional practices in TMII on Indonesia’s Independence Day. Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024

 

With its independence gained for almost 80 years, Indonesians, however, still remembered the significance of the past through traditional games and meaningful practice, and Meryl also expressed her gratitude for having the chance to learn from the locals.

 

“I think what I’ve seen on this special day is that, through the efforts put into preserving the cultural practices by people of all ages, the I-Day celebration will definitely still play an important role in people’s hearts even after decades,” Meryl said.

 

▲A staff in TMII dresses up in a colorful costume to parade in the park’s show. (August 17, 2024).  Photo courtesy of Meryl Kao Aug 17, 2024