Festive: Lily taking a wefie with daughter Fayola Toh in front of a float in Penang. — KT GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Drawn by faith and tradition, a group of devotees from Medan, Indonesia, travelled hundreds of kilometres to Penang to take part in the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.
For some of these devotees, the festival is a reaffirmation of cultural roots and spiritual connection that transcends borders, as they join local devotees to pay homage to the deities.
Attending the festival for the first time, housewife Ng Hong Kiaw, 62, who was in Penang with a group of friends, said she hoped it would not be her last trip here.
Another first timer is Limi Tan, 37, who was offering prayers and donations with his sister and friends. Tan said they arrived from Medan a few days ago and had been visiting temples here for the past two days.
“Our friends visit Penang yearly to celebrate the festival here, and this time we decided to join them.
While the worship of Dou Mu Yuan Jun (Goddess of the North Star) can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), historical records show that the Nine Emperor Gods Festival began sometime during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), particularly among seafaring folk.
This observance is largely lost in modern China but well preserved by Hokkien and Cantonese communities in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
Insurance agent Lily Ang, 45, also from Medan, has been visiting Penang to celebrate the festival for over a decade.
“It is my first time back here after the pandemic and this time I brought my two children along,” said Ang when met at the Hong Kong Street Tow Boh Keong Penang in George Town yester day.
She said a friend told her many years ago that the temples in Penang are a must-visit place on the last day of the festival.
While there are similar celebrations in Titi Papan, Medan, Ang prefers to celebrate in Penang.
“It is an hour’s drive from my home, but I would rather catch a flight and be in Penang. I can make a holiday out of it and also offer my prayers.
“Many of my friends come here every year as we believe our wishes are fulfilled when we pray in Penang,” she said.
