In many countries around the world, May 1st is celebrated as International Worker’s Day, or Labor Day. In Indonesian, it’s called Hari Buruh. So, is this a public holiday in Indonesia? Let’s take a quick look at the recent history of labor in Indonesia before we answer that question.
Cheers to all the hardworking people in Indonesia.
People in Indonesia began commemorating Labor Day in 1920, but this was banned during the New Order (Orde Bahru) regime of the country’s second president, Suharto. This was due to his government’s pervasive fear of the relationship between labor and communism. During his presidency, rallies, large public gatherings, and any commemoration of Labor Day were all banned.
When mass protests forced him to resign in 1998, workers once again began to honor Labor Day. In the following years, the labor movement grew larger and stronger, gathering en masse in Indonesia’s major cities for rallies on May 1st to demand higher wages and better working conditions. Take a look at the scene in 2013 when 135,000 workers took to the streets of Jakarta:
Labor Day was not an official holiday until July 2013, when President Yudhoyono finally declared May 1st as a day off for workers to spend time with their families. Thanks to his timing, last year was actually the first time Labor Day was celebrated as a public holiday in Indonesia. Just because it’s a recognized holiday now doesn’t mean the country’s labor movement is taking a rest – 170,000 people are expected to march in Jakarta today in protest of mass outsourcing.
To learn more about Labor Day in Indonesia, check out this video. It’s also great for practicing your Indonesian listening and reading, and it has English subtitles for you to follow as well:
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the hardworking people of Indonesia who made our 45-day trip there last year so incredible. To all the drivers, tour guides, hostel staff, cooks, and especially to the families we did homestays with and my Indonesian teachers, I just have one thing to say – Terima kasih banyak! I hope everyone in Indonesia enjoys this long weekend, because you’ve earned it!
Some of the awesome people who helped us along the way.
Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.
