It's a different day in Jakarta

It's a different day in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Most of the 10 million Jakartans and the people
living in surrounding areas celebrated the 50th anniversary of
the country's independence yesterday in their neighborhoods in a
joyful, family atmosphere.

As in the past, this year's celebration was financed and
sponsored locally. The programs included serious activities, as
well as much humor and various competitions.

The celebrations mostly started at 11 a.m., after the civil
servants and students returned home from the ceremonies held in
their offices and schools.

But all of those interviewed by The Jakarta Post said that
they enjoyed the local neighborhood celebrations more.

"We could really enjoyed all the events held at our RT
(neighborhood unit) as the festivities brought us closer to one
another," said a pilot of a private airline company in Curug,
Tangerang, 30 km west of here.

Like other residents of urban centers, many Jakartans have few
opportunities to mix closely with their neighbors because of busy
schedules.

Competitions normally held at the neighborhoods to mark
Independence Day on Aug. 17 range from sack races, marble-on-the
spoon races, eating-hanging-chips contests, dangdut dancing
competitions and wooden pole climbing, which is the most popular.
Dangdut is a local music strongly influenced by Indian songs.

In the wooden pole climbing competitions the participants must
try to reach the top of a tall pole made from a palm tree. Prizes
are placed on the top of the pole, which is greased.

Slum residents in the Bungak Kecil area in Tugu Utara, North
Jakarta, held the climbing race for women.

"The prizes are probably worthless to other people, but not to
us," said Bang Joni, the neighborhood leader.

"Besides, we just want to say that even the poor can have an
original idea and also have an opportunity to rejoice on this
particular day," added Usmanto, a member of the local committee.

Meanwhile, the operator of the Ancol Dreamland amusement park
also held a pole-climbing race, but with more expensive prizes,
including motorcycles and television sets.

Because of the wide range of activities held in the
neighborhoods yesterday, many main streets here were deserted.

The Kramat Tunggak red-light district in North Jakarta, which
is normally crowded with visitors and annoys residents of the
surrounding areas with blaring dangdut music, was also deserted
by its "working girls" and their clients.

Local residents said that most of the more than 1,800
prostitutes had gone to hometowns because the complex was closed
for three days starting Wednesday.

A few of the prostitutes who stayed behind told The Post that
they were quite happy to take part in the sports races within the
complex.

With all the activities in the neighborhoods, however, some
people also flocked entertainment centers.

"My children forced me to take them to this Dreamland because
I failed to take them during the recent school holidays," said
Murawi, a civil servant, said at the Ancol Dreamland complex.

Early in the day, thousands of uniformed students and civil
servants took part in National Day ceremonies. (bsr)