HERITAGE preservation met environmental awareness at the Xin Zong You Ai 2.0 – Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival in the Chinese New Village event at Pandamaran in Klang, Selangor.
The event attracted over 150 people, including families from Jenjarom and Petaling Jaya in Selangor, as well as Kuala Lumpur, demonstrating growing public interest in authentic cultural and heritage experiences.
Participants enjoyed activities like learning to wrap traditional rice dumplings (zongzi), steaming them using metal drums, exploring an exhibition on zongzi made by different Chinese dialect groups, making herbal sachets filled with mugwort, crafting banana fibre ropes and playing folk games.
Zongzi is a delicacy connected to the occasion also known as the Duanwu Festival, to honour the legend of ancient poet Qu Yuan.
Visitors also tried the “Five Poisons” folk game played during the festival to symbolically ward off evil spirits while welcoming good health.
The programme also showcased the strength of community collaboration, the organisers, local community groups Jalan-jalan Klang (JjK) and Rumah Papan Pandamaran, said in a media release.
A team of 30 village women and volunteers conducted workshops on zongzi wrapping and herbal sachet sewing, allowing participants to learn directly from community members and experience traditions in an authentic setting.
One of the highlights was a dragon boat installation made entirely from recycled cardboard, which also became a favourite photo spot.
The installation served as a creative reminder that cultural celebrations can also promote sustainability and environmental awareness, the organisers said.
The event was further supported by local businesses, whose contributions demonstrated how communities and enterprises can work together to preserve cultural heritage.
Also present was Klang Royal City Council councillor and event co-organiser Chia Siu.
JjK founder Chow Hoong Fai said the programme reflected environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.
“The environmental aspect promoted upcycling through the cardboard dragon boat installation and using natural materials such as mugwort and banana fibre for everyday items.
“The social aspect created opportunities for inter-generational learning, preserved intangible cultural heritage and brought together participants from different backgrounds and locations through hands-on cultural experiences,” he said.
In terms of governance, Chow said the event built meaningful partnerships among community organisations, local businesses and volunteers to organise an inclusive, educational and sustainable festival.
“Traditions remain meaningful when people can touch them, taste them and experience them together,” he said.
“Through wrapping rice dumplings, listening to stories and learning from village elders and women artisans, culture becomes a living memory instead of merely words in books.”
Chow said the two community groups hoped to continue developing community-based heritage programmes that celebrate local traditions, strengthen social connections and demonstrate how cultural preservation can contribute to sustainable and inclusive community development.
JjK is a grassroots community tourism agency and cultural preservation group dedicated to uncovering, sharing and protecting the rich history, culture and architecture of Klang.
Meanwhile, Rumah Papan Pandamaran is a community heritage centre dedicated to documenting, preserving and promoting the stories, traditions and cultural identity of Malaysian Chinese new villages through exhibitions, educational programmes and immersive cultural experiences.
