Bali's Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year in freedom
Bali's Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year in freedom
By Murdani Usman
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Thousands of Chinese in Bali celebrated
the Lunar New Year on Wednesday at several temples in Kuta,
Denpasar and other sites on the island.
Happy faces were everywhere as ethnic Chinese, young and old,
flocked to temples to pray for good fortune.
They were able to observe their New Year in a free and merry
atmosphere this year.
For more than 30 years, Chinese-Indonesians were prohibited
from celebrating the event in public. But a year ago the present
government eased the rule.
Historically, the community has lived in Bali for centuries as
the descendants of the first Chinese immigrants to Southeast
Asian.
The Chinese came to Bali as traders and plantation workers and
in many other types of work. The legacies of their history, both
physical and cultural, remain.
The first immigrants upheld the Confucianist philosophy, but
under president Soeharto's concept of nationalism and political
discrimination, the Chinese community was compelled to
assimilate, including adopting the language and customs of the
locals.
However, despite the pressures, the Chinese influence on
Balinese culture remains profound. It is clearly seen in the use
of Chinese coins as part of Hindu offerings, the Barong dance,
Baris Cina dance and the traditional Balinese opera.
Physically, the relics of Chinese culture are found in many
places. Sinologist Myra Sidharta said there is one Chinese temple
in each of the Singaraja, Kuta and Tabanan towns. All of them are
dedicated to Kongco (Ancestor), which is believed to protect the
ancestors of the Chinese community.
In Buleleng, North Bali, this sanctuary is called Leeng Gwan
Bio or Temple of the Source of Efficiency. It is the largest and
most richly decorated of all the temples on the island.
In Kuta, the temple, Leeng Gwan Bio, is believed to date from
the second part of the l9th century.
The temple in Tabanan is named Vihara Dharma Cattra; it has
been considerably enlarged and looks completely different from
its original structure.