Sunday, August 06, 2006

Hungry Ghost Festival Wayang

If you have always wondered about the old days where Ubin was a bustling community, the Hungry Ghost Fetival wayang performance may just be the chance to send you back in time. The nowadays usually neglected wayang stage in the center of Ubin town comes alive with lights and performances. Islanders and their descendants who have left for the mainland come back for this annual event.

Date: 8 and 9 August 2006 (Tuesday and Wednesday)
Time: Various (around noon and after sunset)

Adelle from NPark writes that:

"... Normally in a day there's a few performances and there should be one at past noon. On the first day, there would be prayers by the performers at past noon. If one is interested in the rituals and the villagers, they can come in at noon, catch a performance and leave the island at a decent time. Second evening, there would be the 'auctioning' of the symbolic items."


Dog at the Wayang Stage
Dog sleeping at the backdoor of the wayang stage on a quiet lazy afternoon on Ubin.
Photo by November Tan.


It would not be quiet anymore!

Questions? Post them on the Focus Ubin Forum.

Related articles
  • Sons of Ubin keep tradition alive
  • Account of wayang performances on other occasions on Ubin
  • Pulau Ubin Zhong Yuan Hui by Victor Yue
  • 2 comments:

    pinto said...

    Hmm... might make it my National Day activity. Any idea what time the perfomance is (if any) on the second day?

    Monkey said...

    well judging from today, there was an afternoon show at 2pm (unsure if there would be an afternoon show tomorrow) and the evening show is from about 7pm.

    I recommend you aim for the 7pm one because you'll get a piece of the auctioning action too!

    Go for the auction one and take lots of photos please! :)