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Noel's Day by Day Blog First Impressions
How Close Does it
Get? The Tsunami Syndrome Gift-giving and Disaster
Aid Folk Disaster Theories Disaster Tourism Earthquake vs. Volcano
Eruption vs. Bird Flu Positive or Negative
Post-Quake Reporting? Tourists and Guides Emergency Shelters Behind the Smile The Power of (Not) ‘Being There’ Flexible fieldwork The Unpredictable Workweek After the facts Independence Day Celebrations
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Independence Day Celebrations in Between the Rubble
On August 17, Indonesia celebrated its independence for the 61st time. This is by far the most important national holiday. The official ceremony started at precisely ten o'clock in the morning (one of the few times punctuality really seems to matter in this country). It involved a lot of military pomp and consisted of reading aloud the original proclamation of independence, hoisting the red-and-white flag, singing the national anthem, and the delivery of speeches by government officials. The whole ritual is meticulously practiced in the week before the actual event, when one sees all kinds of civilian groups proudly marching through the streets. Even though the official part is considered important, many comment that it is boring and that they are more interested in theentertainments following the formal procedure: games for kids, competitions for adults, carnivalesque parades, traditional food and drinks, music and dancing. Interestingly, a lot of the entertainment revolves around role reversals. During this particular day of the year, people are allowed to imagine themselves in roles that are usually out of reach in daily life. I saw men dressed like women playing football and women engaging in manly games like tug-of-war involving heavy muscle power. For the parade, children dress up as adults, invariably choosing one of the following categories: politicians, military and police, nurses and doctors, civil servants, farmers and fishermen, religious leaders, ethnic attire from the various Indonesian provinces, journalists, and tourists (sunglasses, a hat and a camera being the most important attributes). Not without irony, a new sub-group was added this year in Jogja: the natural disaster victim. Many quake survivors around Jogja chose to keep the celebration subdued. Overall, there was little cheer on Independence Day because many people are too burdened by the problem of rebuilding their lives and houses to engage in the usual fun and games. Even the canopy of national flags visible in most other parts of the country was conspicuously missing from disaster-affected areas. Many believe it is more worthwhile to pool their limited funds for the neediest survivors than spend them on flags or games. Some villages held mock ceremonies, implicitly criticizing the government for the little aid they have received so far. The children were less bothered and kept on playing in an environment to which they have become accustomed: rubble and dust. ~Noel Noel B. Salazar |
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