TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Multicultural Parade was held in Padang on Thursday, August 22, by Hok Tek Tong (HTT), a Chinese association, to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
Not only Chinese youth participated in the parade, but also the youngsters from other races like Minangkabau, Javanese, Sundanese, Batak, Nias, Mentawai, and Nusa Tenggara. Each race dressed up in their traditional costumes and arts. This parade has become a way to respect cultural diversity in Padang since a long time ago.
HTT brought up the miniature of Jung Ship to the carnival, Jung Ship is a Chinese traditional ship which had brought the Chinese to Indonesia for diaspora journey a long time ago. Barongsai dance, dragon exhibition and wedding costumes were also included in the parade.
One spectacular performance by HTT was the parade of 'Sipasan', a dragon-headed centipede figure, that was carried by 1,500 men and 223 children in various cultural costumes.
The Sipasan (Centipede Procession) figure was 243 long and carried as far as 1.9 km from Siti Nurbaya Bridge to Axana Hotel, both of them are the city's landmark, achieving an award in Guiness World Record. Tuako (the chief) of HTT Feryanto Gani received the award directly from Carim Valerio, an assessor of Guinness World Record who had specially arrived from London.
The Padang HTT Sipasan broke the record of Sipasan Kinmen County in Taiwan who had recorded their achievement in May 2013.
FEBRIANTI
