Grade 8 : Field Trip to National Monument (MONAS)

Grade 8 : Field Trip to National Monument (MONAS)

By : Anang P.Setiawan

On Friday 13th of March, grade 8 students together with grade 9 students went to MONAS (National Monument) to do their projects. After studying about Dutch Colonization of Indonesia, the 8 graders needed to make an essay for their project about Indonesian History dated from the first time The Dutch came to Indonesia until Indonesia proclaimed its independence on August 17, 1945 after 350 years of colonial rulings.

MONAS was constructed to commemorate and honor the people's relentless strugle for independence and it is also to awaken a sense of patriotism among the people and future generations.

The students were guided by an official guide. He showed and explained to students about the monument and the story behind it. He said that the architecture and dimensions of the National Monument symbolizes the distinct characteristics of Indonesia. The high rising obelisk signifies the Lingga (pestle) and the soucer-like platform the Yoni (mortar), both are cooking utensils that are commonly found in most Indonesian households. The Lingga and Yoni symbolizes the positive and the negative, male and female, day and night, water and fire, earth and sky, all of which signifies timelessness and immortality.

The guide then took us to the hall of Independence, the place where the proclamation of independece text ( as written and read by Soekarno and Hatta on August 17, 1945) is kept. then he guided us to the top of MONAS called The Flame of Independence. He explained that the top of National Monument is 14 meters tall and 6 meters in diameter. This structure is made og 14.5 tons of bronze and comprises of 77 seperate elements. The entire of the structure is covered with approximately 50 kg of gold sheets. The students enjoyed the view of Jakarta from the top of MONAS. the weather was little bit cool as raining was pouring at that time.

Some students actually still needed time to gather information for their essay but they had no time as we had to leave from MONAS at 2.30 the latest to avoid the traffic jam that always happen in Jakarta. They may get the information from other sources for their essay such as intenet, magazine, articles, encyclopedia, etc. We left MONAS at 2.30pm.

Note : Please submit your essay project the latest is on Friday 27 March 2009.

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