“Cap Go Meh” in the Chinese lunar calendar system originates from the Tiociu or Hokkien dialect. In this context, “Cap Go” means “fifteen,” and “Meh” is translated as “night.”
The calculation of the 15th day in Cap Go Meh is based on the Chinese or Lunar calendar. Cap Go Meh is celebrated on the 15th day after the Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year or Lunar Year marks the first day in the Chinese calendar, which follows the lunar or moon-based calendar.
For example, if the Chinese New Year falls on February 10, as in the year 2024, Cap Go Meh will be celebrated on February 24 (February 10 + 15 days).
Therefore, Cap Go Meh signifies the conclusion of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and many Chinese families celebrate it enthusiastically to mark the end of the festive period.
Masri and Soesana, in the biography of the mayor of Singkawang, Tjhai Chui Mie, S.E., M.H. (2022, pp. 8-12), describe Cap Go Meh as a celebration that falls on the 15th day in the Chinese calendar, marking the last day of the Chinese New Year festivities. Cap Go Meh is also known as the Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Festival.
Rooted in Chinese culture, Cap Go Meh is typically observed with lantern parades, lion dances, dragon dances, and various other Chinese cultural attractions. It is a time for Chinese families to gather, celebrate success, and offer prayers for good fortune in the upcoming year.
Singkawang, a city in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, is renowned for its lively Cap Go Meh celebrations. This is attributed to the significant Chinese population in the city. Singkawang has a substantial Chinese community, making its Cap Go Meh celebration one of the largest and most famous in Indonesia.
Factors contributing to the fame of Cap Go Meh celebrations in Singkawang include the diverse array of Chinese cultural attractions, active community participation in event preparations, and the festive atmosphere that engulfs the city.
Additionally, the tradition of “pekayon,” where people from various ethnicities and religions join in the Cap Go Meh festivities, adds a unique touch to the celebration.
Cap Go Meh: Its origin in warding off evil spirits Similar to the 2019-2022 Corona pandemic, in a Chinese village, a catastrophe unfolded in the form of a spreading epidemic.
During that time, there were no physicians or doctors capable of curing the disease. The Chinese community sought treatment from traditional and mystical healers.
The community then performed a ritual to ward off disaster together with the local residents on the 15th day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar.
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Unexpectedly, the efforts to ward off all types of diseases through this disaster-averting ritual were answered by the Almighty.
Feeling the benefits of this ritual in driving away diseases, the community eventually turned it into an annual tradition that has been passed down through generations and continues to this day.
This ritual was later combined with the Chinese New Year celebration and named Cap Go Meh.
“Cap Go” means “fifteen,” and “Meh” means “night,” so Cap Go Meh is translated as “the night of the 15th.” *)
