No joy for both humans and spirits

This year’s Hungry Ghost Festival will be a silent affair due to Covid-19

JOHOR BARU: The Hungry Ghost Festival will be a “silent’ affair this year as performers say it will be their quietest year since entering the industry to entertain both humans and spirits alike.

As the present standard operating procedure (SOP) restricts outdoor mass gathering, temples and organisers have decided not to hold ge tai or stage shows which are typically set up outdoors throughout the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration, also known as Zhong Yuan Festival.

On top of providing entertainment, ranging from song, dance and Chinese opera, ge tai shows are usually held side-by-side with prayer altars and fundraising drives for devotees to give offerings.

Johor Muhibbah Music Lovers Association chairman Datuk Seri

Kowa Cher Chiang

(pic) said the current situation would definitely be a first where no stage shows are held as celebrations would be toned down this year.

While there were suggestions to take the shows online under the new normal, he said the idea was not well received as many of the temple committees were from the older generation and were not open to the idea of online ge tai shows.

“What makes the ge tai shows interesting is the interaction between the performer and the audience, as banter and cheers make the performances that much more exciting.

“Online shows also defeat the purpose especially when the performers’ main job is to sing and dance for our ‘good brothers and sisters’,” he told The Star yesterday, referring to the roaming spirits.

According to Taoist beliefs, the festival falls on the seventh lunar month when the gates of hell open for one month.

This year’s festival started on Aug 19.

The festival gives the hungry spirits a chance to roam the mortal world in search of food and entertainment.

Kowa, who also owns a local entertainment company with 20 years of industry experience, added that show organisers and temples in Johor started cancelling their plans from as early as March, right after the movement control order was put in place.

“This has impacted the entertainers’ livelihood and a lot of them, especially the younger performers, have switched to other jobs selling char kuay teow, nasi lemak and other home-based food and beverage businesses,” Kowa said.

Kin Guan Sound & Lighting managing director Vincent Pang said in previous years, slots for the festival shows would be booked right after Chinese New Year.

“We would usually get orders for 30 shows each time but this year, there was none.

“Our regular customers and temple committees have chosen to hold indoor prayers on a much smaller scale, which is not open to public so as to limit the number of people,” he said.