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The 30th Jakarta Highland Gathering was held Sunday in Karawaci, Banten, bringing together the Scottish community and other foreign communities for a day of fun and games.
Touted as the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, Sunday's event featured more than 500 competitors taking part in traditional and modern games.
Visitors were welcomed by kilt-wearing bagpipers as they entered the grounds of the Imperial Golf Club at Lippo Karawaci.
"We have made it to our 30th Jakarta Highland Gathering," said Gordon Grant Benton, honorary life patron of the event.
He said the games had survived many trials and tribulations over the past three decades, emerging in much the same form as envisioned by its founders back in 1975.
Organizers have been forced to cancel the gathering a number of times over the years as a result of national events.
Fourteen groups from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia competed in the pipe and drum competitions in the solo and quintet categories.
Several troupes of Indonesian dancers performed traditional dances, giving an Asian flavor to the gathering.
"We are trying to build inter-community awareness and trying to bring together those who had participated in the previous gatherings," Hilary Munro, the organizing committee chairwoman, told The Jakarta Post.
"We also dedicate this event to charities, where all the profits will be given to those who are in need," she said.
Of course, it would not be a Highland Gathering without the presence of the "heavies", those heavily built athletes in kilts competing in heavyweight events such as putting the shot, throwing the hammer and tossing the caber.
"This is the second time I joined the heavies competition here," said Reuben, a competitor from New Zealand.
Highland gatherings have been a tradition in Scotland for hundreds of years. The Jakarta event was first staged in 1975.
"I am impressed .... This is my first visit although I have been living here for seven years," Martin Fitzgerald of England told the Post.
Entry to the event cost Rp 30,000 for adults and Rp 10,000 for children. Local children had to make do with watching the action through a tall fence.
The gathering capped a series of events put on by organizers since April 17, including a photo exhibition, golf tournament and music and dance concert.
An estimated 8,000 people turned up Sunday for the gathering, surpassing last year's crowd of about 6,000.
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