The first day of the Chinese New Year, locally known as Imlek, was harmoniously and uniquely celebrated across the archipelago as the ethic Chinese shared their festivities with people of all races and religions.

Worshippers from Santo Hieronimus Parish Church in Tanjung Hulu, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, celebrated Chinese New Year at their Sunday service. Before the ceremony, the priest and celebrants led a procession to the church accompanied by fireworks.

Half of the hymns sung were in Mandarin. The first reading from the Bible was also read out in the Chinese dialect. During the ceremony, children wearing Chinese costumes performed dances that were accompanied by Chinese music played on Chinese musical instruments. They also brought Chinese paper lanterns and various offerings.

“Imlek is a celebration where people express their gratitude for their lives and livelihoods and welcome the change of season,” said Rev. Paulus Jasmin during his sermon to the congregation.

After the service, Rev. Jasmin, who wore a Chinese hat with a long pigtail, blessed an offering of mandarin oranges and gifts of angpao (money in small red envelopes). He conveyed his blessing in Mandarin.

Each member of the congregation received a package of mandarin oranges and angpao containing Rp 2,000 (21 US cents). Older members of the congregation also received a large Pomelo (locally referred to as jeruk Bali, a Bali orange). After receiving the oranges and angpao gifts, the worshippers gathered in the churchyard to watch a barongsay (lion dance) performance.

In Semarang, Central Java, prayers were held at midnight on Saturday night to welcome in the Chinese New Year at the Tay Kak Sie Temple located on Gang Lombok, Semarang, Central Java.

Tay Kak Sie can accommodated worshippers from three religions: Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

The worshippers prayed individually before joining a mass prayer session to express their hopes for a successful new year.

“To welcome in the Chinese New Year, we [prayed to] God, whom we usually call ‘Thian Kong’,” the leader of the mass prayer, Ayuningtyas or Hoe Yoe Giok, said.

Tay Kak Sie Foundation chairman Sindu Dharmali spoke to the The Jakarta Post about the rituals performed by worshippers at the Tay Kak Sie Temple.

“We perform a traditional ceremonial meal or selamatan. We also make ritual offerings or sesajen. These are similar to Javanes rituals. We have similar cultures,” said Sindu.

In Jakarta, followers of the Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio Temple in Palmerah, West Jakarta, have the tradition of hanging red lanterns with their names on.

“The more lanterns we install, the more our way will be enlightened. That’s what we believe,” Hadi Siswanto, a leader of Hian Thian Siang Tee Bio Temple, said.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahja Purnama, who is also of Chinese descent, said his family did not celebrate Imlek. “I might visit three or four friends,” he said, adding that he did give angpao.

Imlek was a joyful experience for many Makassar residents in South Sulawesi as local people swarmed on Jl. Sulawesi to see barongsay shows and flocked to the Ibu Agung Bahari Temple, the oldest temple in the city, to witness the rituals performed.

Chinese-Indonesians are now free to celebrate Imlek openly, following 32 years of cultural suppression under Soeharto. It was former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid who made Confucianism the sixth religion recognized by the state in 1999. His successor, Megawati Soekarnoputri, declared Chinese New Year a national holiday.

Sita W. Dewi and Andi Hajramurni contributed reporting from Jakarta and Makassar

Popular

New justice puts Constitutional Court in spotlight amid TNI Law petitions

Stop press harassment

AI fluency hides a persistent Western bias