Penang Chingay Parade 2024: Thousands flock to George Town for vibrant celebration of culture and heritage

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 29 — Thousands of people, both local and foreigners, took to the streets of George Town to be part of the Penang Chingay Parade 2024 yesterday, which began at Jalan Johor in Padang Brown here.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said 41 teams, including Chingay flag bearers, aerobics, bands, Muay Thai and silambam exponents as well as floats, made their way through Jalan Datuk Keramat, Jalan Penang, Lebuh Chulia and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling before ending at the Esplanade three hours later, having travelled about 4.5 kilometres.

“Chingay in Penang isn’t just for entertainment, but is a symbol of the cooperation and appreciation towards the rich cultural heritage shared by all races, and the parade brings all of us and strengthens us as a community,” he said.

The crowds of people who lined the streets were entertained not only with spellbinding performances of Chingay flag acrobatics, but also lion dances, dragon dances as well as martial arts displays by parade participants, who were not only of Chinese descent, but also Malays and Indians who call the island home.

Trader Mohamed Azizul Abu Bakar Sitiz, 29, shared that he started dabbling in Chingay since he was seven after he attended a parade with his uncle and took nearly eight years to master performing with the giant bamboo flags.

He is part of the Sungai Pinang Chingay Association, who boast of over 20 members of multiracial backgrounds aged 18 to 40.

You need to have skill in manipulating the bamboo flagpole and you need to know where the wind is blowing so that its easier to balance, but Chingay actually isn’t easy so if you slip up, it can be dangerous not only to myself but other team members.

“Now, after training for eight years, I can receive the bamboo flagpole using several partos my body, including my back and chest,” he told Bernama tonight.

A Chinese tourist who wanted to be known only as Lin, 29, said it was the first time he witnessed the excitement of Penang’s vibrant Chingay celebrations after arriving this morning.

“This is my first time experiencing Chingay, and it’s really interesting, the Chingay performance is not in Shanghai and may be in other areas in China,” he shared.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said during his opening speech that it was the state government’s mission to promote Chingay globally next year together with Johor and Singapore by submitting an application to be included on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH).

“The state government is convinced Penang can be a state that ‘Inspires the Nation’ not only in the economic field, but also in cultural conservation, social development and other aspects that contribute to the development of a country and its people’s civilisation,” he said, adding that the Penang Chingay Association would be part of the delegation at the Singapore Chingay Festival in February 2025.

The word Chingay originates from the Hokkien word ‘chin yi’ which means pure art and the parade has been held annually for the past 100 years, and has become a cultural attraction of the state. — Bernama