Malaysia - Land of Festivals!
Anyone
visiting Malaysia for the first time would not cease to be amazed by the
number of festivals and events that are happening the whole year around.
Malaysia, with its mix of ethnic races which include Malays, descendants of
the Bugis and Javanese, Chinese, Indian and others, features a colourful
potpourri of cultural traditions. Many of these traditions are expressed
through the festivals that take place the whole year round!
Major festivels of Malaysia include
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
After a month of fasting during the month of Ramadan, Muslims
celebrate the first day of Syawal which is the tenth month of the
Muslim calendar with joyous enthusiasm. This is a major festival for
Muslims and they usher in the day with prayers in mosques and
remembering their departed loved ones. It is also the time for
family reunion when members of the family from different parts of
the country get together. The festival mood is with joyous
enthusiasm. Special festival dishes are served for festivals and
friends during "open house". The festival mood is
reflected is brightly decorated homes, government and commercial
buildings. Homes are also lit with all lamps at the entrance in
keeping with a long established tradition.
Chinese New Year
This
is the most important festival of the Chinese community and it lasts
for a full two weeks! It begins with a reunion dinner which is
traditional for every member of the family to attend. Chinese New
Year is the time when spirits are appeared and offerings are made to
Gods. It is a boisterous festival with the clang of cymbals
accompanying lion dances and the thunder of fire crackles filling
the air. Guests are entertained to a variety of sumptuous food and
drinks and the unmarried youngsters are given Ang Pows - gifts of
money enclosed in little red packets. Major hotels and shopping
complexes celebrate the occasion by holding lion dances and special
Chinese programmers to entertain their clients.
Deepavali
This is a Hindu festival of light. Homes of Hindus are lit with
little lights to signify the victory over darkness for the Hindus
believe that this is the day when the forces of good overcame the
forces of evil. Deepavali is a major festival of the Hindus and on
the eve prayers are held both at home and in the temples.Hindus take
a traditional oil bath in the early hours of the morning on
Deepavali day and after prayers entertain their friends and guests
to "open house.
Christmas
The birth of Christ is celebrated by Christians in Malaysia in the
true traditional style. Most Christians homes are decorated with
festoon and coloured lights and the Christmas tree is a must! Young
Christians go carolling days before Christmas day to usher in the
Yuletide spirit. Churches hold midnight masses on the eve of
Christmas. The festival is celebrated on a national scale in
Malaysia and Christians hold "open house" to entertain
their friends and colleagues.
Thaiponggol
In Malaysia, Thaiponggol is a harvest festival celebrated out of
season because it is fixed in the Hindu calendar. Tamils celebrate
this festival around the second week of January. While it is still
dark, farmers rise and cook some of the newly harvested grain.
Ponggol is the presentation of the cooked harvested grain to the sun
at dawn.
However, for urban families, this ritual has been adapted to their
own living conditions. Here the family rises, bathes and gets
dressed before dawn. This is done without the use of any form of
light. When everyone is ready, wearing their best clothes, they
assemble around a display of fruits and flowers. Only then are lamps
lit.
Penang
International Dragon Boat Festival
The
Penang's first Dragon Boat Race was held in 1956 to celebrate the
100th Anniversary of the Municipality of George Town. 10 years later
the race was revived as part of the Pesta Pulau Pinang. The Pesta
races was originally confined to participation from the local teams
such as teams from Government Department, associations and
commercial establishments. However, in 1979, the boat festival
became an international tourism carnival with 2 participation from
overseas, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The Penang International Dragon Boat Festival has participating
teams all over the world include Australia, New Zealand, Denmark,
Norway, Macau, Thailand, Japan, Britain, West Germany, USA and
others.
National Water
Festival
Water resource plays an important role in the socio-cultural and
economic development of the Malaysian society. Apart from
functioning as a communication system, an economic, resource and
determinant of early settlement pattern of the Malaysian society, it
had also been a place where families carried out their recreational
activities in the past. Therefore, water resource in whatever form
should be protected, valued and utilized to the maximum.
The fun gets merrier with the drinking of the inevitable tapai
which is an alcoholic drink made from rice wine. Apart from these,
there are also organised agriculture shows, buffalo races, cultural
performances and traditional games as part and parcel of the festive
celebrations.
Gawai Dayak
The Gawai Dayak festival is celebrated by the Dayaks of Sarawak who
live in longhouses. Being one of the major festivals of the
community, it is celebrated on a grand scale and lasts for a week.
The Gawai Dayak festival marks the transitional period between the
season of rice harvesting and the new planting season. Hence, it is
a reason of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest and also a time
to rest from work before the new planting season. The sound of
boisterous laughter, convivial talk, drinking, dancing and
merry-making will echo relentlessly all through the days of this
exotic and colourful festival.
Nine Emperor Gods
Festival
The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods falls on the ninth day of the
ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Devotees flock to the
temples throughout the country for this religious festival. The Nine
Emperor Gods are part of a spirit-medium cult known locally as ‘Jieu
Hwang Yeh’. These Nine Deities are believed to dwell in the
stars in heaven under the reign of ‘Thien Hou’ - the Queen
of Heaven.
A carnival-like atmosphere pervades the temple throughout the
nine-day festival. During this period of time, the constant tinkling
of a prayer bell and chants from the temple priests are heard. Most
devotees stay at the temple, take vegetarian meals and recite
continuous chanting of prayer. A procession to send the Nine Emperor
Gods home then takes place to complete the rites of this religious
festival.
