IndonesianTalk.com — Eighty years of the Republic of Indonesia were celebrated with reverence and festivity in the heart of the capital. From the grounds of the Merdeka Palace to the length of Jakarta’s Thamrin–Sudirman boulevard, citizens joined together in a grand national celebration.
Behind the color and music of the carnival, history and family ties quietly walked alongside the nation on this momentous day.
For the first time, President Prabowo Subianto personally led both of the sacred state ceremonies: the morning flag raising of the Red and White and the evening flag lowering.
Under Jakarta’s clear skies, the national flag ascended slowly into the air, while thousands of eyes followed in solemn silence.
Among the invited guests sat the extended Margono Djojohadikusumo family, the lineage of President Prabowo. Margono, the founding father of Bank Negara Indonesia, was the first Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) and a member of BPUPKI (the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence), known in Japanese as Dokuritsu Junbi Cosakai when it was formed on March 1, 1945. The body’s main task was to investigate and prepare the groundwork for Indonesia’s independence.
A Family Legacy at the Heart of the Republic
This year’s Independence Day was unique: two state ceremonies were held, both morning and afternoon, led by President Prabowo. In the rows of honored guests, the presence of the Djojohadikusumo family was deeply symbolic—a living reminder of the bloodline that helped shape the republic.
The spotlight shone brightest on Sukartini Silitonga-Djojohadikusumo, affectionately known as Tante Tien, now 106 years old.
“I wish my nephew every success as the eighth President of Indonesia,” she said warmly. As the second-generation descendant of Margono still alive today, her words carried the weight of history. At her side sat her son, Mora
Dharma Silitonga, cousin to the President.
Longtime friends of Mora—Ismeth Wibowo and Onny Satrio—joined the moment with a prayer:
“May the family of Mr. Margono Djojohadikusumo always remain under God’s protection.”
During the evening ceremony, Tante Tien was seated in a place of honor behind the President’s podium. She even shook hands directly with President Prabowo, a deeply moving moment that left a lasting impression on those present.
Beyond the palace gates, the spirit of independence spilled into the city’s main avenues. A Red and White parade stretched from the National Monument to the Merdeka Palace, accompanied by cavalry units and a procession of traditional costumes from Sabang to Merauke, representing Indonesia’s vast diversity.
The skies above Jakarta became a stage of pride as the Indonesian Air Force performed breathtaking aerobatic displays. On the ground, traditional dances, pencak silat martial arts, and the famous pacu jalur boat race from Riau’s Kuansing region electrified the crowd.
After the ceremonies, President Prabowo stepped down from the podium to mingle with the people. As the folk song “Tabola Bale” played, even the police and military officers on duty joined the joyful dance. The President himself briefly danced with the crowd before being gently guided back by his security detail.
History, Family, and the Spirit of the People
That day, history and family intertwined on one stage. From the century-old matriarch to the new generation now leading the nation, the legacy of Margono Djojohadikusumo lived on at the heart of the republic.
Indonesia’s 80th Independence Anniversary was more than a commemoration of age—it was a reminder that the nation stands upon the foundations of history, the strength of family, and the unyielding spirit of its people.
