17 August Competition Tradition: More Than Just Public Entertainment

Every August, village streets, school yards, fields, and housing complexes across Indonesia transform into competition arenas. Children run in sacks, adults take part in tug-of-war, participants scramble to reach the top of a greased pole, while other residents laugh and shout encouragement.

The tradition was felt once again during the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence on 17 August 2026. Competitions such as sack races, cracker eating, tug-of-war, bakiak, and pole climbing remain part of community celebrations in various regions. RRI noted that 17 August competitions are held not only in residential areas, but also in schools, universities, offices, and various institutions.

Interestingly, there is nothing special about the competition equipment. Sacks, crackers, rope, bamboo, wooden clogs, or areca palm trunks are not expensive objects. Yet every year, people still look forward to the same competitions.

This shows that the appeal of 17 August competitions does not lie solely in the games themselves. There is collective memory, togetherness, competition, entertainment, and social identity that keeps the tradition alive.

The Ministry of Education also noted that 17 August competitions have become part of a people’s festival aimed at enlivening independence celebrations while recalling the struggles of the heroes.

The question is, why has this simple tradition been able to endure for decades?

From Independence Celebration to People’s Tradition

17 August competitions did not immediately become a major tradition right after the 1945 Proclamation. Government sources and various popular historical records state that the competitions began to develop and became increasingly widespread around the 1950s, when people began celebrating independence with a more festive atmosphere.

In the early days of independence, Indonesian society was still facing major problems due to the war and the struggle to defend independence. When the situation began to allow it, independence celebrations developed into a space for shared joy.

It was from this that people’s competitions found their place.

However, it is important not to assume that all these competitions were created specifically to commemorate independence. Some games have an older history and later became strongly attached to 17 August celebrations.

Pole climbing, for example, has been known since the colonial era. Several historical records state that this game was once entertainment at community parties and celebrations before Indonesia’s independence. Therefore, the assumption that all 17 August competitions were created after the Proclamation is not entirely accurate.

What occurred was a process of adoption and reinterpretation. Games already known to the community were then placed in the context of independence celebrations.

Pole climbing eventually became one of the most recognisable symbols when talking about August celebrations. A slippery areca palm trunk, prizes at the top, and a group of people helping each other to reach the summit became a spectacle that almost always attracts attention.

Thus, the tradition of 17 August competitions is not only related to the origin of a game. It is the result of a cultural process that has taken place over a long period.

Behind the Laughter Lies the Value of Gotong Royong

At a glance, August competitions appear to be merely about competing for prizes. Whoever is fastest, strongest, or most agile becomes the winner.

However, some types of competitions are difficult to win without cooperation.

Pole climbing is the clearest example. One person cannot easily reach the top alone. Participants must form footholds, help their teammates, arrange positions, and determine strategy.

The same can be seen in bakiak racing. Participants in one group must synchronise their steps. If one person moves too fast or too slow, the entire group can lose balance.

Tug-of-war also demonstrates the same principle. Victory is not solely determined by individual strength, but by the coordination of all team members.

This value is in line with studies by the Ministry of Education and Culture which state that traditional games contain elements of gotong royong, togetherness, and sportsmanship.

Research on traditional games has also found that group play activities can develop cooperation, cohesiveness, sportsmanship, honesty, and responsibility.

It is here that 17 August competitions have a social function that is often unnoticed.

Residents who may only pass each other in daily life can gather in one activity. Children play together. Parents become spectators. Teenagers become committee members. Young people prepare equipment. Women prepare refreshments. The neighbourhood head organises the activity.

Everyone takes a role.

Thus, the competitions become a space for social interaction.

This value becomes increasingly important as community life becomes more individualistic. Not everyone living in the same neighbourhood automatically has close social relationships. August competitions can be one simple opportunity to recreate such interaction.

The tradition of folk games in various regions also shows that the element of cooperation is not foreign to Indonesian culture. Games such as geulayang in Aceh, for example, require division of tasks, patience, responsibility, and cooperation among players.

Therefore, 17 August competitions actually have greater potential than merely finding a winner.

Do Not Let the Tradition Become Merely a Routine

Despite having many positive values, the tradition of 17 August competitions also needs to be evaluated.

The first problem is when the activity becomes merely an annual routine without understanding its meaning. Every year the competitions are held, but the younger generation does not know why the activity is carried out and what its connection is to independence.