`Cap Go Meh' festivities celebrated openly and freely in Jakarta
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Five years ago,Cap Go Meh, the end of the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities, could only be celebrated in secret as the regime of then-president Soeharto had banned all Chinese cultural activities.
Now, the joy of the festivities has become public as many people from different cultural and religious groups participate in the festivities.
A real example was Sunday's festival at the Amurva Bhumi vihara (Chinese temple), also known as Hok Tek Kiong in Chinese, which is located in the heart of Jakarta's Chinatown in East Jakarta.
It was difficult to claim the celebration as a Chinese fiesta alone given that participants came from various ethnic and religious groups.
Chinese dances, including liong (dragon dance) and barongsai (lion dance) were paraded alongside the reog dance of Ponorogo (East Java), the ondel-ondel dance of Jakarta, while Muslims chanted Koran verses to the beats of their rebana percussion music instruments.
The long line of revelers led by a group of people carrying an Indonesian flag and a heavy police presence around the busy roads of Chinatown turned the festivity into a sea of color.
Deafening beats from Chinese drums and cymbals coupled with music from East Java's gamelan orchestra; and Arabic chanting, produced a beautiful blend of sounds.
"The celebration is more elaborate this year with more participants from different groups across Jakarta ... It is a people's party," event committee member Ie iep, 50, told The Jakarta Post.
Ie said traditional music and dance groups from Jonggol in Bogor, Bekasi, and other areas in Jakarta, also took part in the celebrations.
The celebration was also enlivened by gotong toapekong, a procession in which an effigy of gods, was carried from the smaller Dharma Kumala vihara.
Many Chinese revelers, including elderly women and children, rushed to shoulder the effigy which sometime swayed and jolted horrendously as it was believed that a god spirit was entering the effigy.
By shouldering a toapekong, many Chinese revelers believe that they will obtain blessings and benefits from the gods.
Similarly, thousands of enthusiasts in downtown Jakarta spilled over onto the narrow Jl. Kemenangan IV in Kota, West Jakarta which connects the 500-year-old Dharma Djaja Toasebio vihara, known as one of the oldest Chinese temples here, to the larger Darma Bhakti vihara a few hundred meters away.
Chinese temples became the center of the attractions with numerous performances, including a performance of kung fu Chinese martial arts at the Darma Bhakti vihara.
The most horrifying performance was when the Chinese revelers carried a man who was in a trance, with both cheeks pierced by an iron wire, and placed him in front of an effigy of gods.
Still in a trance, he started scratching his back with a sharp sword, accompanied by hummed Chinese songs from their entourage. Surprisingly, no blood was seen running out from the pierced and scratched wounds.
Adorned with red Chinese lanterns, many vihara were also pervaded by the fragrance of burning incense.
Many Chinese burn incense and pray in front of the effigies of the gods to ask for blessings and prosperity, while putting their offering on altars.
In most cases, Chinese people bring eggs, fruits, pork and flowers as offerings to gods.
"I just pray to gods for the safety of my family and peace for all people in this year," said Junny Hwa, 25. He had just prayed in front of the effigy of Pe Hio Ciong Kun (white tiger-faced heavenly god) at Darma Bhakti vihara.