Sukarno was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967.
The culture of Indonesia has been shaped by the interplay of indigenous customs and diverse foreign influences. With over 1,300 distinct ethnic groups, including significant Austronesian and Melanesian cultures, contributing to its rich traditions, languages, and customs, Indonesia is a melting pot of diversity. Positioned along ancient trade routes between the Far East, South Asia, and the Middle East, the country has absorbed cultural practices influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity. These influences have created a complex cultural tapestry that often differs from the original indigenous cultures.
The National Monument is a 132 m (433 ft) obelisk in the centre of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta. It is the national monument of the Republic of Indonesia, built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian independence. This monument is crowned with a flame covered in gold leaf which symbolizes the burning spirit of struggle of the Indonesian people.
Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Indonesia, based on civil registration data in 2023 from Ministry of Home Affairs, is practised by about 1.68% of the total population, and almost 87% of the population in Bali. Hinduism was the dominant religion in the country before the arrival of Islam and is one of the six official religions of Indonesia today. Hinduism came to Indonesia in the 1st-century through Indian traders, sailors, scholars and priests. A syncretic fusion of pre-existing Javanese folk religion, culture and Hindu ideas, that from the 6th-century also synthesized Buddhist ideas as well, evolved as the Indonesian version of Hinduism. These ideas continued to develop during the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires. About 1400 CE, these kingdoms were introduced to Islam from coast-based Muslim traders, and thereafter Hinduism, which was previously the dominant religion in the region, mostly vanished from many of the islands of Indonesia.
The coat of arms or national emblem of Indonesia is called Garuda Pancasila in Indonesian. The main part is the Garuda with a heraldic shield on its chest and a scroll gripped by its legs. The shield's five emblems represent Pancasila, the five principles of Indonesia's national ideology. The Garuda claws gripping a white ribbon scroll inscribed with the national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika written in black text, which can be loosely translated as "Unity in Diversity". Garuda Pancasila was designed by Sultan Hamid II from Pontianak, supervised by Sukarno, and was adopted as the national emblem on 11 February 1950.
The Merdeka Palace, is one of seven presidential palaces in Indonesia. It is located on the north side of the Merdeka Square in Central Jakarta, Indonesia, and was used as the official residence of the president of the Republic of Indonesia.
The gong ageng is an Indonesian musical instrument used in the Javanese gamelan. It is the largest of the bronze gongs in the Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestra and the only large gong that is called gong in Javanese. Unlike the more famous Chinese or Turkish tam-tams, Indonesian gongs have fixed, focused pitch, and are dissimilar to the familiar puke crash cymbal sound. It is circular, with a conical, tapering base of diameter smaller than gong face, with a protruding polished boss where it is struck by a padded mallet. Gongs with diameter as large as 135 centimeters have been created in the past, but gongs larger than about 80 centimeters are more common especially to suit the budget of educational institutions.
Gamelan, although Indonesia is its origin place, is found outside of that country. There are forms of gamelan that have developed outside Indonesia, such as American gamelan and Malay Gamelan in Malaysia.
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Republic of Indonesia.
The capital of Indonesia, officially the capital of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, is Jakarta, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia. However, since the enactment of the Special Region of Jakarta Act, Jakarta has lost its de jure status as capital of Indonesia, and is currently in a transitional period due to the relocation of the capital to Nusantara.
The Bendera Pusaka Sang Saka Merah Putih was the first Indonesian flag. Sewn by Sukarno's wife Fatmawati, it was raised for the first time when Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945. Although required by law to be housed in the National Monument, the flag is still kept at the Presidential Palace.
National symbols of Indonesia are symbols that represent Republic of Indonesia. It can represent Indonesia as a nation, Indonesian people, culture, arts, and its biodiversity. The official symbols of Indonesia are officially recognise symbols that represent Indonesia and enforced through Indonesian laws. These symbols of the state that represent Indonesian nationhood are Garuda Pancasila, Merah-Putih flag, Indonesia Raya national anthem, and Indonesian language.
The national costume of Indonesia is the national attire that represents the Republic of Indonesia. It is derived from Indonesian culture and Indonesian traditional textile traditions. Today the most widely recognized Indonesian national attires include batik and kebaya, although originally those attires mainly belong within the island of Java and Bali, most prominently within Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese culture. Since Java has been the political and population center of Indonesia, folk attire from the island has become elevated into national status.
I Gusti Ketut Pudja was an Indonesian politician and national hero, who served as the first governor of Lesser Sunda from 1945 until 1946. He was a member of the Investigating Agency for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPK). He was also present at Admiral Tadashi Maeda's house, during the preparation for the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945. Making him the only Balinese to be present during the proclamation.
Iwa Koesoemasoemantri was an Indonesian politician. Born in Ciamis, West Java, Iwa graduated from legal school in the Dutch East Indies and Netherlands before spending time at a school in the Soviet Union. After returning to Indonesia he established himself as a lawyer, nationalist, and, later, a figure for workers' rights. During the first twenty years of Indonesia's independence Iwa held several cabinet positions. After retiring he continued to write. In 2002 Iwa was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.
Candi bentar, or split gateway, is a classical Javanese and Balinese gateway entrance commonly found at the entrance of religious compounds, palaces, or cemeteries in Indonesia. It is a candi-like structure split perfectly in two to create a passage in the center for people to walk through. In contrast to the very ornate shape and decoration of the main faces, the sides of the passage are left completely plain. The passage is usually elevated with a flight of stairs to reach it. A candi bentar is commonly found in Java, Bali, and Lombok.
Paduraksa, also known as kori is a type of gateway covered with towering roofs that can be found in the islands of Java and Bali, Indonesia. This architectural feature is commonly found in buildings from the classical Hindu-Buddhist period of Indonesia. Paduraksa marks the threshold into the most sacred space within a religious compound, a cemetery, or a palace. In Balinese architecture, an elaborately decorated towering paduraksa is often built as the temple's most imposing structure.
I Nyoman Nuarta is an Indonesian sculptor and artist who created a number of monuments across Indonesia.
The Garuda Palace is one of seven presidential palaces in Indonesia, situated atop a hill facing southwest to Plaza Seremoni and Bukit Bendera in Nusantara, the future capital city of Indonesia. The 2,400 m2 (26,000 sq ft) palace was built by the Joko Widodo administration and placed in one complex with the State Palace, the Presidential Secretariat Office, and four coordinating ministries.
