Indonesian town adopts Chinese culture to mark local festival

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One of Indonesia’s most vibrant festivals returns to the island city of Singkawang in the West Kalimantan province.

Hundreds of thousands of people gather each year in the town for a colorful and lively parade to mark the Cap Go Meh festival on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.

Singkawang is known for its ethnic Chinese population. Chinese New Year is celebrated widely across the city. More than 10,000 lanterns are used for the new year celebrations in the city.

“This year’s festival is very different compared to previous years. We have 1,038 participants joining the parade. We have broken a world record. This festival is also important to the town of Singkawang because it helps to boost the economy to great heights,” said Thjai Leonardi, the head of the organizing committee for the event.

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The parade shows that the residents have blended centuries-old Chinese and Indonesian cultures.

The ritual they perform on the eve of celebrations makes the event unique. They clean the streets and visit temples to prepare themselves for the big day.

These participants are called Tatungs, a word that is derived from the Chinese Hakka language, meaning a person possessed by gods or the spirit of ancestors. Throughout the parade, the Tatungs pierce their bodies with sharp objects, in a bid to "to fend off misfortune".

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“As an Indonesian, I feel this festival is very important for celebrating diversity. I have always been interested in the Chinese culture and I’m happy, we get to celebrate both the Indonesian and the Chinese culture today,” said one of the parade participants.

Ornaments showing the 12 Chinese zodiac signs also lit up the night. Both the domestic and foreign tourists, as well as several Indonesian government officials, joined the celebrations.