Wangkang in Melaka
Published on 2 Mar 2018 2:48:28 PM
Wangkang, a celebration held by the Fujian or Hokkien Chinese of Melaka, honours the deity Ong Yah. Five clans await their turn to lead the parade according to Ong Yah’s proclamation. The event includes a royal barge that travels across the state to gather wandering spirits before being burned in a symbolic cremation ritual. This video goes behind-the-scenes of the 2017 ceremony arranged by the Choo clan and the 188-year-old Cheng Wah Keong Temple. Wangkang was declared an intangible cultural heritage in Malaysia in 2013, and has been submitted for UNESCO’s world cultural heritage status.
Wangkang, a celebration held by the Fujian or Hokkien Chinese of Melaka, honours the deity Ong Yah. Five clans await their turn to lead the parade according to Ong Yah’s proclamation. The event includes a royal barge that travels across the state to gather wandering spirits before being burned in a symbolic cremation ritual. This video goes behind-the-scenes of the 2017 ceremony arranged by the Choo clan and the 188-year-old Cheng Wah Keong Temple. Wangkang was declared an intangible cultural heritage in Malaysia in 2013, and has been submitted for UNESCO’s world cultural heritage status.