`Cap Go Meh' festivities celebrated openly and freely in Jakarta
`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.