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Ang Pao; Auspicious red envelopes
Special gifts: The ang pao are stuffed with crisp new bills
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em>Special gifts: The ang pao are stuffed with crisp new bills. Other than children and unmarried adults, they may also be given by married couples as symbols of respect to elders in the family. JP/Jerry Adiguna
Ang Pao ' little red envelopes stuffed with crisp new bills ' are synonymous with Chinese New Year.
Each year, during the most important cultural event for the ethnic Chinese, small children and unmarried adults look forward to receiving them.
As ethnic Chinese all over the world welcome the Year of the Goat on Feb. 19, various depictions of the goat are emblazoned on the red packets ' in the form of cartoons for children or elegant and embossed golden rams on beautiful envelopes printed by banks for their discerning clients.
In Indonesia, the red packets carry many different meanings and uses.
Designer Josephine 'Obin' Komara, one of Indonesia's foremost figures in cultural conservation who revived and continued traditional weaving methods of fine textiles, revealed that Elang, her only son, knelt at the heels of his elders every Chinese New Year.
'He keeps the ang pao he receives in his wallet as an amulet,' Obin explained ' referring to the mystic quality surrounding the red envelopes.
Other than children and unmarried adults, ang pao may also be given by married couples as symbols of respect to elders in the family. These elders are the patriarchs and/or matriarchs who are the heads of extended families.
As a token of appreciation, household staff and employees are also given these envelopes.
The amount of money inside each ang pao corresponds to the rank and number of years the recipient has contributed to his/her employer.
'I look forward to receiving ang pao each year when my boss distributes them to his employees,' said Narti, a factory worker.
'It's not about the money that we receive, but we see the act of giving ang pao as a sign of appreciation of the hard work that we have done.'
The design of each ang pao also carries special meanings.
The intricate Chinese characters cannot be deciphered by most Indonesians, including a large number of Chinese-Indonesians who could not learn the Chinese language during the New Order Era (1965-1998), when virtually all forms of Chinese culture and language were banned.
Although not many in Indonesia are able to comprehend the actual meaning of the Chinese characters, nearly everyone in the country understands that the bright red color signifies prosperity and good fortune.
These common themes are explicated in the double-fish images on the envelopes that denote continued wealth and cherubic children who suggest happiness and fertility. Some also depict Chinese historical symbols such as ships with large sails used in China many years ago.
Architect Miranti Gumayana, a non-Chinese, received an ang pao with a golden ship on it at a Chinese New Year event and surmised that she was probably 'traveling around the world'.
Other than observing the symbolism on the red envelopes, she also pointed out that 'ang pao have become an intrinsic part of Indonesian culture'.
For instance, at her nephew's khitanan or a circumcision rite, signaling a Muslim 'boy's initiation into proper boyhood', the words ang pao were used to refer to the envelopes containing money conferred to the boy as a present for successfully going through the ceremony.
It is important to note here that other than Chinese New Year, ang pao are also given to newly wed couples during tea ceremonies by their parents, relatives and married siblings to wish them well.
The tea ceremony is usually held a few hours before the wedding reception commences. It is customary for guests at the wedding ceremony to also contribute ang pao as monetary gifts for the couple.
On the weeks leading up to the wedding day, the red packets are also distributed to unmarried friends and relatives of the bride and groom during events such as their formal engagement.
Unlike Western culture, whereby an engagement is usually considered to be a private event involving just the couple, a Chinese engagement may involve family members, relatives and close friends.
Real estate conglomerate Agung Podomoro's marketing and general promotion general manager Herlina Tamblin, recalled that at her own sang jit or engagement, 'the ang pao distributed at the end of the event signify a form of good will and a wish for young adults of marriageable age to find their soul mates'.
Ang pao bearing the 'double happiness' Chinese characters are usually pasted on the many items of clothing, food, jewelry and fruit exchanged by the bride and groom during the ceremony.
In the two weeks following the beginning of Chinese New Year to Cap Go Meh (the 15th day of the lunar calendar), the red packets are also distributed to the many barongsai (lion dance) performances that are enjoyed by everyone all over Indonesia, not just the ethnic Chinese.
Barongsai performances are not mere spectacles but also an create an auspicious presence welcomed by small shops and swanky boutiques to bring in more wealth in the coming year.
Audience members and shop owners usually 'feed' the barongsai with the red envelopes to thank these creatures for visiting them.
Since 1998, when all the restrictions on Chinese culture and language were lifted and Chinese New Year was declared a national holiday, ang pao have become an inherent and recognized part of this country's cultural celebrations.
As our forefathers' motto of Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) stands as the foundation of Indonesia, may these auspicious red packets wish our multi-ethnic nation continued religious and cultural tolerance.
