Chinese New Year Celebrations in Kaimana Papua

As usual celebration of Chinese New Year or Imlek in Kaimana has always implemented simple. But this year, Chinese New Year celebrations in Kaimana also a bit special. I call it special with a reason, because the Imlek New Year celebrations this year also included people of Chinese descent in Kaimana, for which in previous years has not been done. The involvement of Chinese not only as an invitation to the celebration of Chinese New Year but also as an executive committee activity. People of Chinese descent are also coming from different social classes and ethnic groups different, there are bureaucrats, some legislators, there are civil servants, there is a politician, there are fishermen, and they also come from religious backgrounds as varied as Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam. I myself as an indigenous people of Kaimana from Irarutu or Kuri tribe also had the opportunity to attend the celebration because my wife is also of Chinese descent. Although my wife was not a direct descendant, but physically she is still look of Chinese descent face, and by tradition, they also still carry some of the habits of Chinese people, such as cooking some typical cakesof China, believing Feng Syu, also some kinship term of China.

Imlek event tonight is very simple place, right at 9.00 p.m. local time, the show parade started from the Rumah Kongsi (house for the activity of Chinese people in Kaimana) on the Trikora street, China Chinatown complex in Kaimana. Chinese New Year parade event began with the reading of prayers led by a priest (in Kaimana, all the Chinese people have embraced the religion, especially Catholicism, or in other words can be mentioned that in Kaimana was no Chinese or of Chinese descent who was a Confucian). After the the parade, the next is the main event of the celebration of Chinese New Year reception, which ended with fireworks show in front of "Rumah Kongsi". Evening event was also attended by Mr. Matias Mairuma (The Regent of Kaimana are also of Chinese descent), Mr Frans Amerbay and Herry Pattinama (Both brother from the same mother of Chinese descent is Vice Chairman of the Kaimana district parliament), also attended by Chief of Police Kaimana , and Head of Religious Affairs Kaimana District. I am with my wife and my kids and two of my sister in law with dominant red dress, together referred to attend. It feels a bit strange, because I only own the Papuans who is black, curly hair, was with the Chinese people are straight-haired and white skinned in this celebration. In order to not feel strange, I took a place near my close friends who are of Chinese descent.

Chinese New Year celebration event by involving people of Chinese descent in Kaimana in this year have deep meaning, especially in order to establish social relations between ethnic and religious better in Kaimana district. Imlek New Year event is certainly a different perspective, because although some of the ideas of social activities that had rolled in Chinese meetings could not be implemented but I think it's a more advanced perspective view of a young generation of Chinese in Kaimana now than the older generation they are a little more exclusive . It was also demonstrated by a new stage of Chinese People's role in Kaimana are beginning to shift from the realm of economics and business to politics and socials.

Happy Chinese New Year,