The company’s commemoration of Independence Day is traditionally one of its biggest annual celebrations. This year was no different with Freeporter communities in the Highlands area, the Lowlands area, Jakarta, and even those in Phoenix, reveling and uniting in the spirit of togetherness and patriotism. Here is a look at some of those celebrations.
Independence Day festivities were back in Tembagapura after last year’s more subdued post-flood celebrations.
In the Highlands area, celebrations kicked off with the inauguration of the Flag Raising Team (Paskibra) tasked with raising and lowering the national flag during Independence Day ceremonies.
A sunny morning welcomed the flag ceremony in Tembagapura. Hundreds of employee representatives from all divisions and departments as well as contractor companies participated. PTFI Executive Vice President-Site Operations/Technical Mine Manager, Zulkifli Lambali acted as Inspector of Ceremony.
The flag ceremony was followed by a carnival held at the Tembagapura soccer field, featuring a colorful parade in which various divisions and privatized and contractor companies took part. Participating groups were required to present decorated rice cones (tumpeng) for judging, which they carried accompanied by spirited independence day yells. The tens of tumpeng displayed in the contest looked delectable, and the witty yells from each division drew much laughter from the spectators. The carnival closed with employees, their families, and children participating in a mass dance.
Two days later, a community festival was held at the same location. This time it was all about games and entertainment. The organizing committee provided food stalls offering regional dishes from around the nation – Coto Makassar, Rujak Cingur, Gudeg, Karedok, Nasi Campur and many other authentic and appetizing delicacies. The community festival increased in merriment with performances featuring guest stars from the capital – the band The Groove and The Rain, dangdut singer Susi Legit and the pop star Nowela Idol – satisfying the communities’ longing for such entertainment, especially in Tembagapura where it had been long absent.
The absence of the flag ceremony did not dampen the spirit of the Kuala Kencana Independence Day celebration.
This year Independence Day flag ceremonies at Jobsite were held only in the Highlands area. In the Lowlands, the flag ceremony was combined with that held by the Mimika Regency government as directed by the Mimika Regency Independence Day Commemoration Committee. The company sent representatives to attend the flag ceremony held at the Mimika Regency Government Offices.
The Lowlands Independence Day committee organized festivities for the Kuala Kencana community centered at the Alun-alun Kuala Kencana. This was a long anticipated event, even by Timika residents, as it is open to the public. Contests and other activities were featured, including a parade of decorated floats and costumes; sarong soccer games; tug-of-war contests; and pole climbing. Performers from the capital were brought in to liven up the town festivities with Joan Idol, Yossovi Idol and comedian Ari Keriting being among those entertaining the crowd in Kuala Kencana.
Independence Day commemoration was the ending note of the Freepolympics in Jakarta
Smaller numbers in the Jakarta office made Independence Day celebrations in the Jakarta office no less energetic. In fact, the Jakarta office had begun celebrating two week earlier with the Freepolympics – the annual sports competition eagerly anticipated by Jakarta Freeporters.
This year’s Freepolympics featured seven sports with three main teams - Radis, Rhino, Ruxy – vying for the championship. The Freepolympics was intense, reflecting the Asian Games 2018 spirit inundating the capital and spurring the Freepolympian teams to victory.
Independence Day celebrations in the Jakarta office began with a flag ceremony attended by all employees, followed by an Independence Day party in the seventh-floor employee lounge where winners of the Freepolympics 2018 winners were announced. The Radis team was declared the overall Freepolympics 2018 champion, with the Ruxy team as runner-up and the Rhino team in third place. Jakarta Freeporters also sported regional costumes, adding to the gaiety of the occasion.
Indonesian Independence Day celebration at the Freeport-McMoRan corporate office
Homesick Freeporters on assignment in Phoenix may have missed the revelry and conviviality of Independence Day celebrations back home and at Jobsite specifically, but they still had their fun. A party was held for the occasion on Saturday, 25 August 2018 on the 19th floor of Freeport-McMoRan Center with all Indonesian employees in attendance as well as others with special ties to Indonesia.
From us and for us is how the Independence Day celebration in the Phoenix office could be described. Indonesian employees staged performances that included a Balinese dance, piano and violin recitals, and the singing of national hymns. Authentic Independence Day games were organized for children to make up for missing lively celebrations back home.
The ceremonial cutting of a tumpeng rice cone was also featured. Employee wives had prepared the beautifully decorated characteristic celebratory dish – of yellow rice and accompanying side dishes – found in no restaurant in Phoenix, to allay their homesickness.
But to Freeporters, no celebration is complete without a yospan flash mob. And this was the case at the Phoenix office, with the fun increasing as all present joined in. No less than three sessions were performed accompanied by typical yospan songs. On that day, the songs Goyang Poco-Poco, Goyang Tambelo and Goyang Maumere resounded in the Freeport-McMoRan office. (Sularso)
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