Indonesia celebrated its 66th birthday on August 17th. You could see the merah-putih (red and white) flying everywhere. I'm not sure if there are laws saying that you have to fly a flag, but it sure seems like it.
It's a fun day with interesting activities all over the island. Our local banjar had a senior citizens "aerobics" display (which was very interesting), bamboo stilt races, bamboo push of war (it's like tug of war, but instead of pulling a rope, you're pushing a bamboo pole), and motor bik
e giveaways.
One of the more interesting things for Independence day is the panjat pinang competition. Panjat pinang consists of a huge wooden pole (about 30 feet high), that is sanded down and covered with grease. Prizes are tied to a ring at the top of this pole, and groups of guys have to find a way to get their guy up to the top and pull down the prizes. They stand on each others shoulders to serve as a type of ladder. It can get quite hilarious with guys at the bottom straining to support all the guys on top, and the final guy pulling on necks and stepping on faces in order to make his way to the prizes. You'd have to see it to really appreciate it...
