A funfair to celebrate Independence Day
17 August is Indonesia’s Independence Day.
This year, Bicak and Ngunut celebrated Indonesia’s 60th birthday with style, setting up a fun-filled fair at the neighbouring Brangkal 2 Primary School Oval.
In the past, celebrations were low-key, with each hamlet doing their own thing. Since the two communities have been working together to overcome the challenges posed by the earthquake, they decided that this year they would combine the festivities and double the fun. With support from the SGN community from Sekaralas, and Dutch volunteers Rachel and Dan, that’s just what they did.
The program was full for the entire day, with plenty of competitions and games to suit everyone, young people, old people and even the usually busy mums and dads.
For the young and enthusiastic, there were ball-games, and if you were really eager, you could try your luck on the Melon-Money-Game, where players had their hands behind their back while they tried to get the coins stuck in the black-soot-covered Melon!
There was a tandem-shoe race… women’s tug-o-war and volley ball competitions.
The men’s soccer competition was pretty hilarious; competition rules dictated that they had to wear women’s clothes!
But best of all, saved for the last event for the day, was the bamboo pole climbing game… where contestants attempt to climb a very, very tall bamboo pole, made slippery and uncomfortable with a mixture of oil and sand to reach the tickets dangling at the top representing the highly desired prizes.
Spectators laughed and cheered their favourite climbers as they slip-slide up and down the pole… almost reaching the top, only to slide all the way down… until of course, the winner takes it all to the wild cheering of the crowd.
This year, Bicak and Ngunut celebrated Indonesia’s 60th birthday with style, setting up a fun-filled fair at the neighbouring Brangkal 2 Primary School Oval.
In the past, celebrations were low-key, with each hamlet doing their own thing. Since the two communities have been working together to overcome the challenges posed by the earthquake, they decided that this year they would combine the festivities and double the fun. With support from the SGN community from Sekaralas, and Dutch volunteers Rachel and Dan, that’s just what they did.
The program was full for the entire day, with plenty of competitions and games to suit everyone, young people, old people and even the usually busy mums and dads.
For the young and enthusiastic, there were ball-games, and if you were really eager, you could try your luck on the Melon-Money-Game, where players had their hands behind their back while they tried to get the coins stuck in the black-soot-covered Melon!
There was a tandem-shoe race… women’s tug-o-war and volley ball competitions.
The men’s soccer competition was pretty hilarious; competition rules dictated that they had to wear women’s clothes!
But best of all, saved for the last event for the day, was the bamboo pole climbing game… where contestants attempt to climb a very, very tall bamboo pole, made slippery and uncomfortable with a mixture of oil and sand to reach the tickets dangling at the top representing the highly desired prizes.
Spectators laughed and cheered their favourite climbers as they slip-slide up and down the pole… almost reaching the top, only to slide all the way down… until of course, the winner takes it all to the wild cheering of the crowd.
posted by Anonymous at Saturday, December 02, 2006
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