Residents celebrate Independence Day with colossal drama introducing Banten heroes
Residents of the Sukadiri neighbourhood in Kasemen District, Serang City, Banten, held a ceremony to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence, enlivened by a colossal heroic drama performance at the historic site of Surosowan Palace in Banten Lama.
Sukadiri Squad chairman Miftahullah said in Serang on Monday that the independence celebration is a regular annual agenda organised through mutual cooperation and self-funding by the local community.
“The concept uses a colossal drama featuring Banten hero figures. The aim is for today’s young people to know who the true Banten heroes were, namely KH Ahmad Khotib and KH Syam’un, who pioneered independence in the Banten region,” he said.
He explained that the storyline, set against the backdrop of old Banten culture, tells of four young men carrying a mandate from Bung Karno who arrived in the Banten region. The young men then met local heroes KH Ahmad Khotib and KH Syam’un to spread the news of the 17 August 1945 independence proclamation to the wider community.
In addition to the performance rich in historical value at the site of the former Banten Kingdom, residents also succeeded in unfurling a long red-and-white flag, which was met with great enthusiasm from participants.
Miftahullah revealed that preparations for the event took about a month. Although the organisers faced several technical obstacles regarding funding and permits, the event ran smoothly with the participation of around 500 to 600 local residents.
“After the ceremony and colossal drama, we continued with a carnival around Jalan Baru before returning to the gathering point,” he added.
The high level of enthusiasm was also felt directly by the residents who attended. Aliyudin, a Sukadiri resident who took part in enlivening the event, said he was proud of the initiative shown by the young people in his neighbourhood.
“As residents, we fully support this event. Even though everything was funded through self-help contributions, the event was very lively. The children and residents who watched were not only entertained by the carnival, but also learned about the history of Banten heroes from the colossal drama. It makes us proud to see the solidarity of Sukadiri residents,” said Aliyudin.