Windy Prihastari, the Head of the West Kalimantan Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office, stated that the Cap Go Meh celebration event in Singkawang will still take place, in accordance with the direction from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf). The Cap Go Meh festival is one of the attractions of Singkawang City.
"According to Kemenparekraf, the Cap Go Meh event will still take place, but the implementation will be adjusted," said Windy.
According to Windy, the Cap Go Meh event in Singkawang has now become part of the national event curated by Kemenparekraf.
"We are following the direction from Kemenparekraf, as they are the ones curating this event. In Pontianak, the Cap Go Meh event is not curated, but in this national event, the curated Cap Go Meh is in Singkawang. So the direction is still there, but the implementation will be adjusted," explained Windy.
Windy revealed that she is still waiting for more detailed instructions from Kemenparekraf regarding the technical aspects of the event. She explained that they need to adjust to the implementation and will wait for further information regarding the standard operating procedures. Windy hopes to receive this information soon in order to plan the event better.
Brief Overview of Cap Go Meh
Cap Go Meh is the closing event of the Chinese New Year celebration, held every 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar or 2 weeks after the Chinese New Year. The event begins with prayers at the temple, followed by the sound of kenong and simbal, as well as lion dance performances and traditional Chinese performances.
The name Cap Go Meh originates from the Hokkien language "Chap Goh Meh" (十五冥), which means the fifteenth night. This term is commonly used by the Chinese communities in Indonesia and Malaysia. In China, the commonly used name is the Lantern Festival (元宵節; Pinyin: yuánxiāo jié).
The Cap Go Meh celebration has been held since the 7th century AD during the Han Dynasty in China, especially during the migration of the Chinese community to southern China. This celebration is held by the king and the community on the night of the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar. Farmers hang colorful lanterns around their fields to ward off pests and scare away crop-damaging animals, as well as to enhance the scenery. In addition, there are music performances and lion dances to liven up the celebration. Subsequently, Cap Go Meh has been held traditionally by Chinese communities worldwide.
Horison Ultima Hotel Singkawang, Indonesia
