Tangerang kicks off week-long Cisadane Festival
Despite grey skies and a light drizzle, hundreds of local residents, mostly of Chinese descent, thronged to the banks of the Cisadane River in Tangerang municipality as Tangerang mayor Wahidin Halim launched the eight-day joint Cisadane-Pecun Festival on Saturday.
The annual Cisadane Festival, which coincides the Pecun Festival celebration, also known as the Tuen Ng Festival in Hong Kong, will take place until June 12 along Jl. Kali Pasir on the Cisadane River bank.
“This year the annual Cisadane River Festival is jointly held with the Pecun Festival because both festivals are cultural assets that we must maintain together,” Wahidin said.
The mayor hoped the joint Cisadan Fair, as a part of the festival, would empower people economically as well as socially and culturally, among efforts to attract foreign investors and tourists to Tangerang municipality.
A dragon boat race marked the opening of the event, which also saw a range of other cultural shows such as the Liong Parade and Barongsay, Rampak Tambur (attraction of 30 tamburs), gambang kromong (traditional Betawi music), cokek (tradition Tangerang dance) and lenong performances.
Local residents of Chinese descent also contributed to the festival by featuring cultural and ritual activities such as Nan Feng (classic Mandarin songs) and Twan Yang prayers organized by the Boen Tek Bio Chinese temple.
