Guardians of Singkawang
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tatungs, 'gods chosen on earth' was the toast of Singkawang town's Cap Go Meh celebrations in West Kalimantan province, three weeks ago. The locals believe that tatungs are imbued with the souls of heavenly gods, sent down to spread kindness and goodwill. Witnessed by thousands, 766 tatungs paraded around town, as if exorcising the earth from evil spirits with their fearless, pain-free mystical powers, as they stood on swords' edges, cheeks pierced by hundreds needles and tongues slashed by knives. They are, after all, traditional healers and fortune-tellers. In China, where they originated, tatungs have all but disappeared. Yet they are alive and well in Singkawang. Tempo English journalist Sadika Hamid and photographer Jacky Rachmansyah report from West Kalimantan.
arsip tempo : 1735235715100.
It was very early in the morning, when the sounds of drums and cymbals resounded throughout Singkawang, a municipality in West Kalimantan province. The aroma of burned incense filled the air and the normally placid old shop-houses came alive. It was Cap Go Meh, the 15th day of Chinese New Year.
The festivities, which cost billions of rupiah to organize, reached its peak with a parade of tatungs, the community's shamans or faith healers, who
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