A Belated Happy Independence Day
Perspektif Online
18 August 2007
Merdeka!
Karena keenakan liburan kemarin, jadi lupa Hari Kemerdekaan. Cuman tahu itu hari libur tanpa ada janji apa-apa. Jadi morning coffee di Starbucks sama kawan lama, nonton The Bourne Ultimatum. Terus kebetulan ketemu sahabat terbaik di PIM meng-update berita pribadi yang hanya bisa diobrolkan dengan dia. Jadi baru malam buka email dan teringat bahwa hari itu adalah hari kemerdekaan Indonesia. Angka sakti 17845 yang sudah hafal dari kecil, sekarang hanya saya pakai sebagai password internet banking.
Jangan kira saya tidak menghargai Hari Kemerdekaan. Cuman lupa aja, karena tidak ada kegiatan yang mengajak saya merayakan. Bukan anak sekolah sehingga tidak perlu ikut upacara kenaikan bendera. Bukan pegawai negeri – atau perusahaan besar yang sok nasionalis - sehingga harus appel bendera. Bukan pejabat tinggi sehingga harus datang ke Istana Merdeka. Satu-satunya kegiatan yang melibatkan diri saya adalah rencana pertandingan Hari Kemerdekaan yang dirayakan RT saya.
Seperti setiap tahun sejak tahun 1982 (banyak pembaca PO yang belum lahir waktu itu) Pak RT mengedarkan daftar sumbangan untuk biaya pertandingan. Tapi karena tidak ditagih, jadi lupa mengisi daftar. Kemudian saya lihat pertandingannya juga tidak ada. Barangkali hasil sumbangan tidak mencapai titik break-even. Sedih juga, apalagi kalau seperti tahun lalu dimana kejadian juga pertandingan ditiadakan, uang sumbangan yang waktu itu terkumpul tidak dikembalikan karena katanya habis oleh biaya panitia. Hmm….
No, despite these wry notes, Independence Day is important for the meanings it has for the population. I use the plural form because contrary to what I had thought as a kid, there are many different meanings of Independence Day for many different people. I noted that the venerable website Café Salemba posted definitions on Nationalism to greet this auspicious day. Here is what they said:
Aco: Nationalism? An idea to identify yourself -- so you can have passport and olympic games.
Ape: (For supporters) -- an idea to identify yourself so you can have a 'national team' that you and your rival supporters can watch together. (For players) -- a situation when you can play in the same team with your rival players against your club mates.
Ujang: With a nod (or apology perhaps) to Ben Anderson, nationalism is an idea often times better left imagined
Rizal: "Nationalism is something that you don't really feel until you leave the country. A melancholy, for good or bad reasons."
As for me, Independence means Freedom. Probably the most stylish definition comes from songwriter singer Kris Kristofferson as sung by Janis Joplin in Gus Dur’s favorite song: “Me and Bobby McGee”
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose.
Which picture means 'Merdeka' to you?
You must have your own personal definitions of freedom. Freedom for me this year happens to mean:
- Freedom from disability and ill health
- Freedom from loneliness, anxieties and insecurity
- Freedom from aimlessness
Life is good on the Day of Freedom. Thank you, Indonesia.
What's YOUR definition of freedom this year?
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