The Oriental Singkawang

Singkawang is the second biggest city in West Kalimantan after Pontianak. It is 120 km to the north of Pontianak. Old buildings which already built since Kolonialism Era gives special nuance to this city, beside the  city’s peaceful live. Moreover, Singkawang is very unique of the majority of its people is chinese race. You can see many amoy (chiness young lady) walk in every sides of the city. This uniqueness makes it known as “The City of Amoy”.

Singkawang is such the china town of West Kalimantan. The nuance of chinese culture dominates most parts of the city, very oriental. We can find hundreds of klenteng or small temple – which also locally known as pekong – in each city’s corner. That is why people also usually call this city as “A Thousand Klenteng City”.

The oriental atmosphere of this city will be seen much more clearly in Chinese New Year Celebration or we usually calls as imlek. The celebration of imlek in this city is very glorious, and it will end in cap go me. Cap go meh itself is in fifteenth day of the first month in chinese date. On that day, all of the people will crowd every side of the town and streets to see parade of barongsai and dragons which is shown for free.

Singkawang is not only spread its oriental atmosphere only in the moment of imlek. In every day, we also can see the oriental nuance too. One of the ways is by visiting Hongkong Market. Yes, Hongkong Market. Eventhough its name is Hongkong Market, it is still in Singkawang. Officially, this market is named Beringin Market. This market, which in day is selling daily needs product, will turn to a market full of various kinds of chinese food at night. This ‘night’ market then is commonly known as Hongkong market. It is a very unique place,isn’t it?

Posted by: Shofia Fahmy Barlanty (F12109062)