Festival is a performance of day or time for a public celebration. Every year in West Kalimantan many festivals show traditional cultures from different ethnics. In West Kalimantan there are some festivals such as Cap Go Meh, Gawai Dayak, Robo-Robo, and Meriam Karbit. Each festival has different uniques with the others.
Cap Go Meh is Chinese festival which is held 14 days after Imlek. Cap Go Meh performs cultural programmes such as Barongsai and Tatung. Cap Go Meh festival is centered in Singkawang. The celebration is started with a ritual to open the eyes of the Barongsai and invite the guardian spirit of the universe to enter the figures. During the procession, Tatungs are supposedly possessed by spirits and enter into a trance. They step on blades and pierce their lips, noses, and cheeks with big needles. The celebration ends with the burning of the Barongsai figures as a symbol of the casting out of evil spirits and leave the area.
Cap Go Meh is Chinese festival which is held 14 days after Imlek. Cap Go Meh performs cultural programmes such as Barongsai and Tatung. Cap Go Meh festival is centered in Singkawang. The celebration is started with a ritual to open the eyes of the Barongsai and invite the guardian spirit of the universe to enter the figures. During the procession, Tatungs are supposedly possessed by spirits and enter into a trance. They step on blades and pierce their lips, noses, and cheeks with big needles. The celebration ends with the burning of the Barongsai figures as a symbol of the casting out of evil spirits and leave the area.
