Residents of Sunter Agung, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, have decorated their neighborhood with colorful Independence Day ornaments ahead of Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day. The decorations were created across three alleys on Jalan Ancol Selatan II, RT 13/07, with residents funding the project collectively. Each alley adopted a different theme, turning the celebration into an opportunity to strengthen community spirit and cooperation. Local officials praised the residents for their enthusiasm and creativity in transforming their surroundings.
Gang 8A adopted the theme Pesona Nusantara, showcasing Indonesia’s cultural diversity through murals and decorations inspired by Javanese, Betawi, and Chinese-Indonesian traditions. Gang 8B chose Keceriaan Tanpa Gadget, or Joy Without Gadgets, featuring murals of traditional games such as snakes and ladders, along with congklak and a miniature climbing-palm game. Meanwhile, Gang 8C created Taman Lentera Kemerdekaan, or Independence Lantern Park, decorated with illuminated landmarks and objects including the National Monument, bicycles, pedicabs, and swans. The different themes reflected the creativity and strong sense of community among residents.
Many of the decorations were made from recycled materials, including used bottles, water gallons, baskets, straws, plastic items, and old bicycles. Residents also created waste-sorting bins from used gallons as part of an effort to promote environmental awareness and support Jakarta’s waste-sorting initiative. The neighborhood had not held a similar decoration activity for decades, making this year’s celebration particularly meaningful. In addition to decorating the alleys, residents have organized competitions and entertainment performances for the community.
Sunter Agung Subdistrict Head Ahmad Firdaus praised the creativity and cooperation shown by residents in RT 13/07. He said that despite the decorations being part of a neighborhood competition, every alley could be considered a winner because of the residents’ creativity. He also encouraged residents to maintain the clean, beautiful, and comfortable environment beyond the Independence Day celebrations. The community hopes the spirit of togetherness, harmony, and mutual cooperation demonstrated through the decorations will continue in everyday life.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
