Wangkang festival
Ghosts are being collected, a chingay group shows off their skills, lions are dancing, musicians play, stilt-walkers are towering over us, Confucian priests are performing their rituals, the five Ong Yahs deities are carried around in elaborate sedan chairs and at the end of the procession, mediums are in a trance and a big barge pulled by about thirty devotees slowly makes its way through the Malacca’s old quarter. More than 10,000 devotees and tourists bear witness to the procession making its way, symbolically sweeping away all evil forces that threaten to disrupt peace and prosperity.
The Wangkang festival is organized to collect wandering souls, evil spirits and other negative elements on the streets of Malacca that are held responsible for the epidemic scourges and chaotic conditions of the world. They are then put in the barge and send them away into the Unknown by burning the barge at the fifteenth and last day of Chinese New Year. This will bring health, peace, prosperity and happiness to the world and to Malacca in particular. It’s a grand and costly religious procession. When digging just a bit deeper, you’ll find the story of an ancient Chinese community, emperors, priests and deities, a Diaspora, a new multicultural community and old traditions that are still being honored.
History
The Wangkang customs were brought to Malacca by Hokkien emigrants from Fujian province, China. They migrated to Malacca since the fifteenth century, but a big influx came when Hokkiens were fleeing persecution during the Qing or Manchu Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In Fujian province five deities or Ong Yahs with the surnames Choo, Hoon, Tee, Lee and Pek were worshipped. When the Hokkiens brought their deities to Malacca, the locals came to regard them as their patron saints. The temple and the festival were originally run by the Peranakan or Baba and Nyonya community. They are the descendants from Chinese immigrants and local women. But since many have become Christians or Buddhists, the local Hokkien community has become more involved.
Every year the Temple members collect the wandering souls, but only when the medium at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple gets the command from the heavens, they organize the elaborate Wangkang procession. The message was delivered via a small chair that when held ‘writes’ characters. Through the chair the deity directed the temple committee to organise the Wangkang. If predictions for the year of the Black Water Dragon are to be believed, we may have to brace ourselves for calamities such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
In Malacca, as far as could be determined, the Wangkang Procession was first held in 1854 at Kandang and up to 1880 it took place every five to eight years. In 1891 when an outbreak of cholera was very virulent, it was again held, and since then it has been taking place every fourteen years until 1933. The festival was dormant for 68 years before it was revived in 2001 during the height of the SARS epidemic which jeopardized tourism in Malacca.
Procession
The evening before the procession, many people gathered at the temple to witness ceremonies that were performed, to deposit their bad luck at the Barge and to meet friends and family.
As early as 6.00, members of the Hokkien community began to gather at the Temple for the procession on 6 February. At 7.30 the road was cordoned off by the police and the flotilla started emerging from the temple. Five smaller boats driven by motorcyclists, as well as cultural troupes such as dragon and lion dancers came out. There was a chingay troupe showing off their stunts such as balancing a towering flag pole. There were also stilt-walkers clad in colourful, traditional Chinese costumes and over a hundred musicians from various temples. Last but not least the barge came out. Simultaneously deafening fire crackers erupted, producing a haze. From the temple the procession, like a majestic flotilla, proceeded for 20 km along the streets of Malacca, before heading back to the temple at 16.00.
The main attraction of the procession was the majestic Barge. The Royal Barge was 5.8 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and 2.0 meters high with a 6.2 meters high mast. It was made of merbau timber and five-layered plywood, and it took five committee members three months to build.
The lion on the bow looked impressive; bright yellow and red with majestic black. It made an impact, especially at night when its eyes were lit. Lanterns were swinging at its side. The dragon at the hull also helped to absorb the negative elements during the procession. The Barge was heavy and fully loaded with rice, water, wine, joss paper, herbs, pots and pans, stoves and other supplies for the ‘evil spirits’ on board as they believe there should be an equilibrium among heaven, earth and sea. Teams of around thirty devotees put their hands on a special 32.9 meters long rope tied on both sides of the barge and pulled it (on a wheeled platform) all over the city.
The Barge seemed to glide along, even when the procession came across rough patches and when going uphill. The procession stopped at 15 key junctions, where five Taoist high priests led the cleansing rites to order all evil spirits and influences to get on the boat, upon the command of the spiritual warriors of Heaven, Earth and Sea. At junctions, or residences of important personages linked to the festival, the captain standing on the barge waved the centipede-shaped flag several times. Meanwhile, the crew “rowed” the barge with their ornamental oars as they shouted, “paddle, paddle, paddle away the evil spirits”, to the accompaniment of gongs and drums. The five Ong Yahs were carried around in elaborate sedan chairs or Jiao by devotees. The Ong Yahs inspired the devotees to run, toss and turn the chairs around. The mediums were among the participants of the procession, closely guarded by their helpers. A participant portraying Confucius was also among them.
The climax came in the evening. There were more ceremonies in the Temple and the mediums were in a trance. A paper Temple was set on fire and burnt down quickly. Starting at about 19.30 we walked from the temple to Pulau Melaka across the Straits of Malacca. Accompanied by fireworks we watched the barge being reloaded with bags and bags of rice, water, wine, joss paper, herbs, pots and pans, stoves. The priests were saying their last prayers before the barge was set on fire around 22.00. At this point, the atmosphere was electrifying as a fireworks display simultaneously lit up the sky with stunning colours. It is believed the royal barge “took on board” evil spirits as it burnt, thus destroying the malicious demons. As the barge was burning, people slowly walked away as well. At the temple we got little plastic bags with tea leaves that we had to throw into the fire. I waited a long time before I threw it, since after that you were supposed to walk away and not look back. Looking back would bring misfortune by spirits hell-bent to do evil to those tempted to break tradition, even as they burn on their way to annihilation.
I was happy to be able to witness the festival, since it is completely unknown to everybody when the next one will be held…
Ghosts are being collected, a chingay group shows off their skills, lions are dancing, musicians play, stilt-walkers are towering over us, Confucian priests are performing their rituals, the five Ong Yahs deities are carried around in elaborate sedan chairs and at the end of the procession, mediums are in a trance and a big barge pulled by about thirty devotees slowly makes its way through the Malacca’s old quarter. More than 10,000 devotees and tourists bear witness to the procession making its way, symbolically sweeping away all evil forces that threaten to disrupt peace and prosperity.
The Wangkang festival is organized to collect wandering souls, evil spirits and other negative elements on the streets of Malacca that are held responsible for the epidemic scourges and chaotic conditions of the world. They are then put in the barge and send them away into the Unknown by burning the barge at the fifteenth and last day of Chinese New Year. This will bring health, peace, prosperity and happiness to the world and to Malacca in particular. It’s a grand and costly religious procession. When digging just a bit deeper, you’ll find the story of an ancient Chinese community, emperors, priests and deities, a Diaspora, a new multicultural community and old traditions that are still being honored.
History
The Wangkang customs were brought to Malacca by Hokkien emigrants from Fujian province, China. They migrated to Malacca since the fifteenth century, but a big influx came when Hokkiens were fleeing persecution during the Qing or Manchu Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In Fujian province five deities or Ong Yahs with the surnames Choo, Hoon, Tee, Lee and Pek were worshipped. When the Hokkiens brought their deities to Malacca, the locals came to regard them as their patron saints. The temple and the festival were originally run by the Peranakan or Baba and Nyonya community. They are the descendants from Chinese immigrants and local women. But since many have become Christians or Buddhists, the local Hokkien community has become more involved.
Every year the Temple members collect the wandering souls, but only when the medium at the Yong Chuan Tian Temple gets the command from the heavens, they organize the elaborate Wangkang procession. The message was delivered via a small chair that when held ‘writes’ characters. Through the chair the deity directed the temple committee to organise the Wangkang. If predictions for the year of the Black Water Dragon are to be believed, we may have to brace ourselves for calamities such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
In Malacca, as far as could be determined, the Wangkang Procession was first held in 1854 at Kandang and up to 1880 it took place every five to eight years. In 1891 when an outbreak of cholera was very virulent, it was again held, and since then it has been taking place every fourteen years until 1933. The festival was dormant for 68 years before it was revived in 2001 during the height of the SARS epidemic which jeopardized tourism in Malacca.
Procession
The evening before the procession, many people gathered at the temple to witness ceremonies that were performed, to deposit their bad luck at the Barge and to meet friends and family.
As early as 6.00, members of the Hokkien community began to gather at the Temple for the procession on 6 February. At 7.30 the road was cordoned off by the police and the flotilla started emerging from the temple. Five smaller boats driven by motorcyclists, as well as cultural troupes such as dragon and lion dancers came out. There was a chingay troupe showing off their stunts such as balancing a towering flag pole. There were also stilt-walkers clad in colourful, traditional Chinese costumes and over a hundred musicians from various temples. Last but not least the barge came out. Simultaneously deafening fire crackers erupted, producing a haze. From the temple the procession, like a majestic flotilla, proceeded for 20 km along the streets of Malacca, before heading back to the temple at 16.00.
The main attraction of the procession was the majestic Barge. The Royal Barge was 5.8 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and 2.0 meters high with a 6.2 meters high mast. It was made of merbau timber and five-layered plywood, and it took five committee members three months to build.
The lion on the bow looked impressive; bright yellow and red with majestic black. It made an impact, especially at night when its eyes were lit. Lanterns were swinging at its side. The dragon at the hull also helped to absorb the negative elements during the procession. The Barge was heavy and fully loaded with rice, water, wine, joss paper, herbs, pots and pans, stoves and other supplies for the ‘evil spirits’ on board as they believe there should be an equilibrium among heaven, earth and sea. Teams of around thirty devotees put their hands on a special 32.9 meters long rope tied on both sides of the barge and pulled it (on a wheeled platform) all over the city.
The Barge seemed to glide along, even when the procession came across rough patches and when going uphill. The procession stopped at 15 key junctions, where five Taoist high priests led the cleansing rites to order all evil spirits and influences to get on the boat, upon the command of the spiritual warriors of Heaven, Earth and Sea. At junctions, or residences of important personages linked to the festival, the captain standing on the barge waved the centipede-shaped flag several times. Meanwhile, the crew “rowed” the barge with their ornamental oars as they shouted, “paddle, paddle, paddle away the evil spirits”, to the accompaniment of gongs and drums. The five Ong Yahs were carried around in elaborate sedan chairs or Jiao by devotees. The Ong Yahs inspired the devotees to run, toss and turn the chairs around. The mediums were among the participants of the procession, closely guarded by their helpers. A participant portraying Confucius was also among them.
The climax came in the evening. There were more ceremonies in the Temple and the mediums were in a trance. A paper Temple was set on fire and burnt down quickly. Starting at about 19.30 we walked from the temple to Pulau Melaka across the Straits of Malacca. Accompanied by fireworks we watched the barge being reloaded with bags and bags of rice, water, wine, joss paper, herbs, pots and pans, stoves. The priests were saying their last prayers before the barge was set on fire around 22.00. At this point, the atmosphere was electrifying as a fireworks display simultaneously lit up the sky with stunning colours. It is believed the royal barge “took on board” evil spirits as it burnt, thus destroying the malicious demons. As the barge was burning, people slowly walked away as well. At the temple we got little plastic bags with tea leaves that we had to throw into the fire. I waited a long time before I threw it, since after that you were supposed to walk away and not look back. Looking back would bring misfortune by spirits hell-bent to do evil to those tempted to break tradition, even as they burn on their way to annihilation.
I was happy to be able to witness the festival, since it is completely unknown to everybody when the next one will be held…
