Wangkang Boat Burning Ritual - Indonesia

Demotix, August 24, 2010

<< Wangkang Boat Burning Ritual. Held at Bhakti Suci Funeral Park. Pontianak, Indonesia.

Wangkang boat burning is held at Bhakti Suci Funeral Park, Pontianak, Indonesia It is to mark the peak of funeral rituals conducted in the second and seventh month of the lunar calendar. According to local Chinese tradition, these are the moments when the heaven's gate would open, and the deceased ones can visit their families on earth.

The Wangkang boat (meaning boat of the ocean) supposedly carries the spirit of those who have been forgotten by their descendants, or those who have no descendants, it enables them to return to their birth place, since every spirit should have their respective origin.

Curiously, the trace of this tradition can not be found in mainland China, it is exclusively held by the West Kalimantan local Chinese professing Buddhism and Taoism. Each boat would be burned by the respective clan.

With Police officers guarding the surrounding perimeter, the Sungai Raya fire squad showers the area to keep the heat and fire in check, the overall situation becomes safe enough for the children to enjoy the aftermath and dying embers.