When All Hell Breaks Loose

BOO.

The 7th month is upon us. Oooooooh...spooky. It is also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival and it falls on the 7th month of the lunar calendar. It is somewhat like Halloween in North America but it has way more importance than just dressing up as ghouls and goblins. This festival is celebrated by the Chinese in parts of Southeast Asia and China. It's actually taken quite seriously by the people, even the non superstitious ones, in Singapore. Malays and Indians alike observe the general dos and don'ts of this month long festival.

The Chinese believe that during this time, the gates of hell spring wide open and hungry ghosts are free to roam earth. Brings to mind battles between good and evil on middle earth in Lord of the Rings, don't you think?

To pacify these spirits, food and offerings are laid out for the taking. The Chinese are big believers of ancestral worship so this festival is also one to commemorate and pay tribute to their ancestors who have passed on. This is done to ensure good fortune and to ward off bad luck for future generations.

It's been a while since I 'celebrated' this festival since I've been out of the country for so long. David and I were wandering around the suburbia heartlands of Bukit Batok when we chanced upon a 'getai', literally meaning song stage. It is an operatic concert of sorts, although no Shakespeare, performed outdoors in Hokkien or Teochew for both the living and the dead, is a visual and audio delight to the uninitiated. This tradition is a dying one because only the living old truly understand and appreciate the art of the melo-drama. They observe it fastidiously because they believe these performances will please the wandering spirits.

As a child, I use to accompany my maternal grandma (bless her soul) to the big open field beside our apartment, foldable stool in tow to watch these concerts, every night for the entire month. My grandma would pick a cool and unobstructed spot and plant herself there for the rest of the night. Me, I didn't really care for the opera on stage. I was happy to be out of the house, roaming with the other neighbourhood kids. Grandma would always try to scare me by warning me of spirits roaming the area as well. That didn't do anything for me as I played hide and seek, hop scotch and 5 stones to my heart's delight.

Memories came flooding back to me as I hear the familiar sounds of squeaky flutes and clashing cymbals, smell the burning of fragrant incense, see the colourful costumes and elaborate make up of the performers. For the first time in my adult life, I wish Grandma was here to explain what the people on stage were wailing about.

A female performer, dressed up as a man, possibly a scholar.

This is was the resident drummer, living out his dream of being a rock star. Think he was the troupe master since he was the one who gave me the OK to take pics.

Offerings of fruit and cake to the wandering dead.

Decorations, symbolizing wealth or gold.

The robe and headgear of a deity or spirit on display. No one sits on this chair other than 'him'.

Chinese deities and spirits aren't always the most benevolent looking. This one looks like the King of Hades, god of the dead.

Alot of spirits are also beliefs based on folklore to scare people into submission.

Hell money to be burnt, as offerings to the dead. It is believed that even in the underworld, material goods are highly coveted.

A dinner table, laid out for the wandering ghosts and spirits, to appease their hungry stomachs while on their roam on earth.

Elaborate 3 story paper houses, complete with paper servants, plants, suits, cars, jewellery, DVD players, to be burnt so that such luxuries can be enjoyed even in the underworld.

Resplendent house offering for the dead.

The burning of offerings begin.

A row of red chairs flank the 1st row in front of the stage. These priority seats are reserved for VIPs, also known as 'the others'. These performers entertain and hopefully appease.

I've never been one to believe in the supernatural but I can fully appreciate the culture and tradition of this festival. It actually makes me a little sad knowing that 2 decades, or even 1 from now, this would probably completely die off.

On that note, I will think about what I will dress up as for Halloween this year. It's the 1st time I am celebrating it in Singapore and my girls and I are excited about what we'll do.

Past years...

Pimpin' it up, Foxy Cleopatro style. Hugo was kinda scared at first, he kept looking at my afro and trying to sniff it. I think I left my afro in Canada...:(

Foxy with Morpheus from the Matrix.

I was a 1920s flapper girl at the company Halloween party.

What will you dress up as this year?

Needing ideas!

Lady P.