Indonesia Independence Day Celebration DSC_0308
Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945 in one of the first acts of post-war decolonization. The colorful independence celebrations draw upon the many traditions of Indonesian culture, including bizarre tests of agility and strength. One of the most bizarre parts of the Indonesian independence celebrations is the Panjat Pinang competition where men clamber up greased poles to claim prizes. In some parts of the country they still hang the actual prizes, bikes, appliances etc at the top, here in Jakarta they hang only pieces of paper with the name of the prizes printed on it. Because the poles are covered in grease or oil, one man is usually unable to climb up by themselves as they are unable to grip and climb at the same time – In turn, the men form teams and split the prizes. To get a sense of scale - in this shot the man in the jeans is actually standing on top of another man. A lot better Panjat Pinang photos out there on the internet but thought this was so interesting it was worth posting.
Indonesia Independence Day Celebration DSC_0308
Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945 in one of the first acts of post-war decolonization. The colorful independence celebrations draw upon the many traditions of Indonesian culture, including bizarre tests of agility and strength. One of the most bizarre parts of the Indonesian independence celebrations is the Panjat Pinang competition where men clamber up greased poles to claim prizes. In some parts of the country they still hang the actual prizes, bikes, appliances etc at the top, here in Jakarta they hang only pieces of paper with the name of the prizes printed on it. Because the poles are covered in grease or oil, one man is usually unable to climb up by themselves as they are unable to grip and climb at the same time – In turn, the men form teams and split the prizes. To get a sense of scale - in this shot the man in the jeans is actually standing on top of another man. A lot better Panjat Pinang photos out there on the internet but thought this was so interesting it was worth posting.