Tradition of Barge Burn by Chinese Descent in Batam City
There is one unique tradition of descendants Chinese who lives in Batam City, Province Riau Islands (Kepri), the name is tradition burn the barge.
What is a barge?
Summarize Indonesian Wikipedia and Indonesian Great Dictionary (KBBI), barges are rather large boats, commonly used to transport goods and other cargo.
Apart from being called a barge, this one boat is also referred to as a pontoon.
This ship has a flat hull or a large floating box. Barge pulled by ship delay or with a booster.
Well, the barge burn tradition is held every year by Chinese descendants who have long lived in Batam City, Kepri.
Formerly, they came from China, then monitored and lived in the City Bagansiapia, Lower Rokan District, Riau Province.
Tradition burn the barge also started from the descendants Chinese in the city Bagansiapia.
But because someone later moved to Batam City, Kepri, this tradition was brought to Kepri.
Then, how historyhis? What is the purpose of tradition burn the barge and how is the process?
Simak the history of the barge burn tradition in Batam City follows, as summarized
History of the Barge Burn Tradition
Rituals or traditions burn the barge done offspring Chinese is a warning of events history influx of descendants Chinese to the city Bagansiapia, Riau.
Around 1826, there were three ship barge that sailed from Fujian, China, to the archipelago.
Three ship the barge contains residents Chinese.
Nahas, on the way, two out of three ship the barge sank.
Only one left ship in which brought 18 people Chinese.
As many as 18 survivors brought along the statue of Dewa Kie Ong Ya and Dewa Tai Su Ong.
It is believed that Dewa Kie Ong Ya and Dewa Tai Su Ong showed the way for them, to the region Bagansiapia.
First, region Bagansiapia still in the form of forests.
However, on the way, 18 residents Chinese the survivor saw the flickering fire on the plains Bagansiapia.
The light became a sign that there was land area.
Upon arrival, they found that the light of the fire came from animals fireflies also known as “i api-fire ”.
Fireflies are scattered among mangrove forests in the Bagansiapi region. Mangrove plants thrive by the beach.
In the no-man’s forest area, 18 residents Chinese building a new settlement, which came to be known by name Bagansiapia.
They are determined to make the new territory their future land.
In addition, they are also determined to no longer return to their home country, Fujian, China.
As a form of their strong determination to settle in Bagansiapia and not back to China, then they burned ship the barge they climbed.
From there emerged tradition burn the barge, which was carried out to commemorate the event history the ancestors who arrived at Bagansiapia.
Until now, tradition burn the barge done by offspring Chinese who lives in Bagansiapia.
In fact, Chinese descendants from Bagansiapi who already live in other areas continue to preserve the barge burn tradition, including those who live in Batam City, Kepri.
Barge Burn Procession in Batam City, Kepri
one of the procession locations burn the barge in Batam City, Kepri, is in Wihara or Vihara Cetya U Pho Sakadarma.
The address is at Ruko Permata Beach, Jalan Gajah Mada, Tanjung Uma, Steel Powder District, Batam City, Riau Islands.
You can click the address above to see the location point Wihara Cetya U Pho Sakadarma via Google Maps.
Heredity Chinese there make a replica ship barges are large enough for the procession burn the barge.
Replica ship the barge was made with the dominance of yellow and blue.
In addition, there are also tubules that are paraded by Batam residents in the procession burn the barge.
Residents who participated in the barge burn procession were residents of Chinese descent from Bagansiapi who had long settled in Batam City.
During the implementation of tradition burn the barge, there is a temperature that leads the descendants Chinese.
Besides the Chinese New Year, tradition burn the barge also attracts tourists who come to Batam.
Unique tradition that burns replicas ship this is one of the cultural heritage that invites tourists.
Task Executing (Plt) Head Kepri Tourism Service, King Heri Mokhrizal appreciates tradition burn the barge this.
According to him, preservation of ancestral traditions is proof that citizens always remember history and their origin.
In addition, King Heri Mokhrizal considered, preservation of ancestral culture could be a magnet for citizens of descent Chinese from other areas to come and witness firsthand the process.
More than that, domestic tourists and citizens can also witness the procession burn the barge this unique to get to know culture Chinese in Indonesia.
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