Salam and greetings!
In this post, we will discover and explain briefly on the history of the different types of festivals and celebrations that are celebrated in our country, Malaysia. Some of these festivals are well- known and some of these festivals are celebrated by a small number of people in our country.
🎉Festivals and celebrations teach children about geography and culture as they learn where celebrations are celebrated and who celebrates them. They learn the concept of months and time and various customs and traditions. From here, they develop memory skills and learn so much about the country and its people!
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Chinese New Year
The Spring Festival, commonly known as "New Year", is the most solemn traditional festival of the Chinese people. New Year's Day is a day to remove the old and clothe the new. Although the New Year Festival is set on the first day of the first lunar month, the activities of the New Year do not stop on the first day of the first month. From the twenty-third (or twenty-fourth) of the twelfth lunar new year, people begin to "busy in the New Year" by cleaning houses, washing hair and bathing, preparing New Year's utensils, decoration and other things. Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days.
All these activities have a common theme, that is, "Farewell to the old and welcome the new." People greet the New Year with grand ceremonies and enthusiasm. As the Spring Festival approaches, people shop for New Year's. On New Year's Eve, the whole family gathers for a New Year's Eve dinner. On the day of the new year, children and unmarried young people will give New Year greetings to their elders, and then the elders will give them red envelopes.
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival) is known as one of the four traditional festivals of the Chinese Han people along with the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Qingming Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of each year.
Mooncake festival is also known as the "Autumn Festival" and "August Festival". Because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival revolve around the "moon", it is also commonly known as "moon festival", "moon eve", "moon chasing festival", "moon festival" and "moon worship festival". The three origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival are: it originated from the ancient worship of the moon, the custom of singing and dancing under the moon to find puppets, and the custom of worshiping the land god in the autumn newspaper.
Wesak Day
Wesak day is also known as Buddha Day. Buddhists normally celebrate Wesak Day on April 15 based on the lunar calendar. The day is usually observed during the first full moon in May. Vesak is observed on various dates by different customs due to the variety of Buddhist cultures. Besides, Wesak Day is also a holiday for Buddhists and some Hindus. It is to remember the death of Siddhartha Gautama, who is otherwise known as Buddha.
On this day, Buddhists will decorate their temples with flowers and light up the lotus candles. They meet at their temples early in the morning to sing hymns and raise the Buddhist flag. Some temples place a small Buddha statue in front of the altar in a small basin filled with water and flowers, allowing visitors to pour water over the statue. This is referred to as the Buddha's bathing. It is to commemorate the events that occurred after the Buddha's birth when devas (gods) and spirits showered him with holy waters from the heavens. Buddhists also remember Vesak with charitable work and acts of kindness. They are also supposed to avoid any kind of killing, so they are encouraged to eat vegetarian food on the day as well.
Winter Solstice Festival
Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese. It is celebrated on December 22. Generally, the Winter Solstice Festival is a time for families to get together. The making and eating of glutinous rice balls is one activity that occurs during the Winter Solstice Festival. “Tangyuan” is made from glutinous rice flour and has different types of colours. The “tang yuan” are usually white, green, and pink. It is cooked in sweet soup with the “tang yuan” and served in one bowl.
The festival was known as the Winter Solstice Festival during the Han Dynasty and people were given one day off as a holiday. Representatives held ceremonies to remember the day, and people will exchange delicious food. The day was sacrificed to heaven and the ancestors during the Tang and Song dynasties. On this day, common people prayed at the cemetery of their ancestors and deceased relatives.
Christmas
Christmas is a Christian festival to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who they believe is the Son of God. It is celebrated on December 25. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ or Jesus. A Mass service is where Christians remember that Jesus died and came back to life. This service takes place after sunset and before sunrise on the next day, so people celebrate it at Midnight.
Nowadays, Christmas is celebrated by people around the world whether they are Christians or not. People, especially children, like Christmas because it's a time to give and receive presents. People celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and waiting for Santa Claus, the legendary character who is said to bring gifts to well-behaved children on Christmas Eve.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Brunei. It signifies the end of Ramadan. It is also known as Hari Raya Puasa. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He began this festival after he migrated to Mecca. Hari Raya Aidilfitri has been celebrated since the 15th century, and the Muslim religion was also firmly established since this century.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn till sunset. On Hari Raya, they seek forgiveness from each other. Many Muslims will visit their ancestor's graves, say prayers at the mosque, and spend time with their family and friends. It is common to give food to the poor on this day. People used to decorate their homes with small lamps which were called lampu coloks. However, nowadays, many people are using decorative electric lights. There is also a feast that every family enjoys celebrating at the end of fasting. Many traditional foods can be found at this feast, such as beef rendang, sambal, and ondeh-ondeh.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival is also known as Duanwu Festival. It is one of the major traditional Chinese Festivals. Dragon boat races are held during the Duanwu Festival, and the boat is decorated in the shape of a dragon. It is held to commemorate the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned in the Milou River in 221 BC. It has a more than 2,000-year history and is believed to have originated during the Warring States period. The festival falls on the 5th day of the 15th month of the lunar calendar. The date of the festival varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar.
Eating Zongzi is one of the most popular traditions during the Dragon Boat Festival. Zongzi is a Chinese rice dumpling. It is rice wrapped in leaves and filled with either sweet or savory fillings. Adults in the household traditionally make zongzi at home. For the sake of convenience, today's families, especially those in cities, will purchase zongzi from a store.
Deepavali
Deepavali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is the most colorful festival in Malaysia. It is the festival of lights that symbolizes the triumph of the good over the evil. It is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, notably Newar Buddhists. The festival usually lasts for five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartika.
The local Hindus celebrate by using colored chalk to draw patterns and shapes on the ground while at the same time scattering colored rice. Lights are placed outside the house, and it is a beautiful sight to behold in the dark. Early on Deepavali morning, Hindus will start the day with a bath and wearing new clothes. The elders will visit the temple to pray to God for his mercies and blessings on the family. During Deepavali, lots of Indian cuisines, such as homemade samosas, murukku, sweet delicacies, and curries prepared and served.
Gawai Harvest Festival
Gawai Dayak, Ari Gawai, or Andu Gawai is an annual festival celebrated on the 1st of June by the native people of Sarawak and West Kalimantan. The festival lasts for a month and is one of the state’s largest festivals. It is highly recommended that you check it out when given the opportunity to! Various events take place during this festival and with a local contact, it’s a guaranteed invitation.
As the festival day draws nearer, everyone busies themselves with a general cleaning up, paddy drying and milling, and decorations. In Sarawak, the Gawai festival is celebrated with open houses with an abundance of traditional dishes such as ayam pansuh. During open houses, friends and family come to visit and celebrate. Rice wine, known as “tuak” is served throughout the day. Gawai is a day of thanksgiving, marking bountiful harvest and time to plan for future endeavours.
Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)
Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has been held in Kuching, Sarawak annually since 1998. The three-day festival takes place in the Sarawak Cultural Village and features musicians from all over the world. RWMF is the first and largest event of its kind in Malaysia that involves many in sharing culturally rich music with the rest of the world. This music festival is recognised globally and attracts foreigners to fly in for live music and performances.
The diversity of world music is celebrated during this festival. Activities that are interactive and informative include music workshops, cultural and craft displays, food stalls, and the main stage for evening concerts. The event organiser hosts a tree-planting ceremony yearly where all bodies involved will plant saplings in the nearby nature reserves. This raises environmental awareness to the public as well as ensures the environmental sustainability of the event.
Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as Mauritius, Singapore, and Malaysia. The word Thaipusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival.
In Malaysia, Thaipusam takes place annually at Batu Caves on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Batu Caves has a Hindu temple inside a cave. Visitors need to walk up 272 steps to reach the temple. During this festival, you’ll see devotees pierce parts of their bodies such as their cheeks and tongues. Some of them carry a Kavadi (burden). Kavadi is an ornament used by worshippers to pierce the body. From a foreigner’s point of view, Thaipusam is unusual and unique, so it is great if you get to experience it.
Independence Day (Hari Merdeka)
National Day, also known as Hari Merdeka or Hari Kebangsaan in Malay, is the official independence day of the Federation of Malaya. On August 31, 1957, Malaya declared its independence from the British and formed the Federation of Malaya. After a period of colonial rule, Malaya finally gained sovereignty. Most events are held in Merdeka Square of Kuala Lumpur. As the clock struck midnight on August 31, the sky in Kuala Lumpur filled with colourful fireworks to begin Independence Day celebrations.
Later in the day, it is common to see street parades and performances by school children and civil servants. After the ceremony, there will be a live concert, and thousands of local people come to enjoy the event. Each Independence Day is given a logo and theme, usually, a slogan that promotes ethnic unity because of the eclectic mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese citizens with different cultures, ideologies, and religions. Building a sense of national unity is a repeat occurring theme on Hari Merdeka.
This sums up most of the festivals that are celebrated in our country. Isn’t it amazing how many festivals and celebrations are held by the different cultures and races in Malaysia?
When the pandemic is over, wouldn’t it be great to have open houses during celebrations again? 🥺
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