Northern drums

For me, this year’s Chinese New Year is well and truly over. Another 15 days have flown by, preceded by nearly a month of intense house-cleaning, all thanks to my wife’s initiative. Back-breaking work for me, especially since I’m not getting any younger. I was about to take down the Chinese New Year banners from the main door, but she suggested leaving them up for a couple more days. No rush, she said. Fair enough—after all, the Penang state government isn’t wrapping up their Chinese New Year celebrations until this Friday.

At the Esplanade, the festivities will culminate with the Chap Goh Meh orange-throwing event… except it won’t be Chap Goh Meh this year but Chap Chhit Meh. A new trend in the making? A rewrite of Chinese tradition? All because Thaipusam fell on the eve of Chap Goh Meh, and concerns over traffic congestion took priority. Blah, blah, blah. I just hope everything returns to normal next year, and more importantly, that this Chap Chhit Meh business doesn’t set a precedent. Indeed, no!

One of the highlights of this year’s Chinese New Year was the festive dinner organised by the Ministry of Human Resources in collaboration with the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) in Bukit Mertajam on the seventh of February. Hosted by local boy and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, the event was attended by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. In my books, it was a well-organised affair. While the main dishes were served in the traditional nasi hidang style, several food stalls at the back of the hall dished out halal versions of char koay teow, udang cucuk, dragon beard candy, and more. The main guests arrived to the explosive din of firecrackers, setting the stage for a thrilling performance by the Northern Drum troupe, whose powerful beats added to the festive atmosphere. The video of their performance appears at the end of this story. Meanwhile, view the pictures I took of the event first.