MELAKA: Over 3,000 Buddhist devotees are expected to participate in the Wangkang procession that will be held from Wangkang Museum at Jalan Parameswara in Banda Hilir here on Thursday (Jan 11).
The procession director, who is also Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Malaysia president Datuk Ronald Gan explained that the name Wangkang or ‘royal ship’ was a portmanteau combining the word ‘wang’ meaning king and ‘kang’ meaning junk or ship.
The procession itself was brought over to the Malay Peninsula by Hokkien traders from China during the Ching Dynasty (1644 to 1911), and was held for the first time in Melaka in 1845.
“The purpose of the procession is to summon evil spirits to serve the deity Ong Yah so that they can redeem themselves and be reborn.
“The procession is divided into several parts, starting with the construction and consecration of the deity, the procession itself and a Taoist ritual by local monks,” he told reporters at the Wangkang Museum officiation by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh and attended by state Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Ngwe Hee Sem.
“The Wangkang Museum is a platform to showcase the history of Wangkang and all activities related to the procession,” he shared.
The procession will be held around Melaka town in two sessions, at 8.30 am and 7 pm, Gan said, adding that a giant replica of a Wangkang vessel dubbed the Kapal Raja Perpaduan Aman would serve as the procession’s highlight.
“Unlike certain festivals, this procession is not held annually, with the next procession expected to be held in 2031,” he said, adding that the last procession was held in 2020. -Bernama