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Singkawang celebrates Cap Go Meh, showcasing super power of ‘tatung’
Singkawang’s Cap Go Meh committee said 860 tatung participated in the main Cap Go Meh celebration on Tuesday.
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Part of a 'tatung' attraction with its lavish costume and accessories in the Cap Go Meh festival in Singkawang, West Kalimantan. (JP/Severianus Endi)
T
he sun at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in Singkawang, West Kalimantan was shining brightly, adding to the thrill and excitement brought by the groups of tatung (Hakka Chinese word for people possessed by gods or the spirits of ancestors) clad in Dayak tribal attire.
Groups of tatung and spectators gathered at the center of Singkawang that day, the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar, for the culmination of the Cap Go Meh festival.
Among the groups of tatung are women wearing costumes inspired by the Chinese royalty of the past, mixed with tribal Dayak styles. They stood, danced, or hopped on machete blades. The rest of the tatung showcased their extraordinary skills by being stabbed in the mouth, cheeks, lips and ears with metal sticks without suffering pain or wounds.
Singkawang’s Cap Go Meh committee said 860 tatung participated in the main Cap Go Meh celebration on Tuesday. This event, a citywide celebration, drew thousands of visitors and caused traffic congestion. Hotels and other types of accommodations were fully booked for the celebration.
This yearly blessing affects many, including A Khun, owner of the Warung Kopi Ajun coffee shop. The shop is located close to the festival site. Although A Khun did not raise the prices of his food, his profits increased quite significantly over the two days.
“On the night before the lantern parade, the city was extraordinarily busy. It was hard to move because there were so many people on the road. On today’s schedule is the tatung parade and for me it is more profitable than usual,” A Khun told The Jakarta Post.
As Cap Go Meh is always highly anticipated by people from both on and off Borneo Island, the gate to the city was totally jammed on Tuesday. The area exchequer of the West Kalimantan tour guide association, Eni Yusnita, said that her clients had to book tickets and accommodations far in advance.
“This time I’m accompanying a group of doctors who are on a reunion trip, with tatung-watching in the schedule. I have a responsibility to communicate the true story of tatung. It is more than just ghost [stories], but a cleansing ritual for the city while preserving tradition,” said Eni.
The mayor of Singkawang, Tjhai Chui Mie, said that Cap Go Meh strengthens the city’s position as Indonesia’s most tolerant city, in line with the title it received from the Setara Institute (an Indonesia-based policy institute that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights) in 2018. One of the reasons is because citizens of different ethnicity are encouraged to take part in the festival.
“People of many ethnicities in Singkawang are taking part in this event. I am very thankful. Harmony lies at the base of our development,” said Tjhai Chui Mie.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that Cap Go Meh in Singkawang is one of 100 highlighted national events. He also said every event always embodies two values: cultural and commercial.
“On the cultural side, Cap Go Meh is a cultural identity that unites the nation. Meanwhile, on the commercial side, the event is expected to have an impact on social welfare,” said Arief.
The minister, however, points out that the distance between Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, and Singkawang is 150 kilometers, which takes more than three hours to travel overland.
“More than three hours of travel usually deters people from making the trip. We need a solution for this,” said Arief.
The development of a Pontianak-Singkawang toll road could cost up to Rp 15 trillion (US$ 1,068 billion), sources say. Meanwhile, the most feasible solution could be to complete a Rp 1.3 trillion airport.
Read also: Twelve dragon replicas to be displayed during Cap Go Meh in Singkawang
Prior to the main event, Cap Go Meh in Singkawang consisted of a series of activities, including “opening the dragon’s eyes”, which aimed to instill the spirits of the ancestors into 12 dragon replicas that then performed around the city. The performances were expected to ward off evil, bad luck and to call for peace in the lives of the residents.
Cap Go Meh has attracted international attention, leading to the issuance of an Inventory Note Letter of Communal Intellectual Wealth. The document was handed by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly to Mayor Tjhai Chui Mie on Monday.
Yasonna said that Cap Go Meh in Singkawang is part of Indonesia’s cultural wealth and is a magnet for both Indonesian and foreign visitors, contributing to income and economic growth in the region. (mut)
