THE sky does not have to be dark outside for people to see the stars.
This year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri at the Jalan Sungai People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats was extra special when the children lit up their flats with over 100 handmade star lanterns.
The making of a giant star lantern has been an annual Hari Raya Aidilfitri tradition for the residents of the PPR flats until Covid-19 hit in 2020. Because of its size and difficulty, the tradition only involved young men.
Arts-ED, a local non-profit organisation, rejuvenated the communal tradition of star lantern-making this year with its GEMPAK 100 programme.
GEMPAK 100 is a community-based arts and culture programme started in January 2022 by Arts-ED.
This edition of GEMPAK 100, themed Nur. Light. 光, provided a platform for the community to collaborate with Arts-ED facilitators and make the craft accessible to people of all ages, especially women and children.
Seven weeks before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration, over 40 adults and children, aged six to 15, attended 10 workshops to learn, teach, and make star lanterns.
The programme was supported by the Penang Education Council and the Jalan Sungai Residents’ Association (PKPJS).
Project coordinator Chen Yoke Pin said the children learned the significant meaning of light and celebration during their conversation with the older generation at the workshops.
“They were not just simple craft-making workshops.
“The children acquired a deeper understanding of the meaning of light and they dedicated their messages to the community members through the star lanterns they made.
“Beyond the common connotations of ceria (cheerful) and meriah (lively), now the children also connect light with hope and wishes for panjang umur (longevity) and murah rezeki (blessed with sustenance),” Chen said recently.
On the final night before the lighting-up ceremony on April 18, the children went door to door to deliver their specially-crafted lanterns. Also present at the lighting-up ceremony was Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim.
Muhammad Mustaqim Muhammad Rejab, 10, gained his confidence after taking part in the lantern-making workshops.
“Initially, I was scared as I did not know how to make star lanterns. But after I learned from the teachers, I started to believe in myself.
“I made nine lanterns and taught other people how to make lanterns!” he said.
Muhammad Mustaqim, who was one of the GEMPAK 100 participants since last year, was ecstatic because he could make and present star lanterns to the people he loves and cares for.
Siblings Erisya Balkish Mohd Fazrul and Muhammad Adam Aryan Mohd Fazrul, who have also been a part of GEMPAK 100 since last year, said they particularly enjoyed the collaborative aspect.
“I love that we have a star lantern-making team. Cutting and tying the bamboo sticks, pasting the papers…doing different parts to make small and big star lanterns together,” Muhammad Adam Aryan shared.
“Making crafts together with friends is the best,” Erisya Balkish said.
Coordinator-cum-facilitator Nurul Shahira Jamaluddin said the adults realised that the children were also able and very excited to make the star lanterns together.
Meanwhile, facilitator Tan Lay Heong said the children were beaming with joy when they presented their star lanterns to the community.
“I followed the children when they went door to door to deliver their specially-crafted lanterns. The residents appreciated their effort, hugged them, and expressed that they felt touched,” Tan said.
Chen said Arts-ED would like to push for more interactions and knowledge exchange among community members, parents and children.
“Lantern-making and door-to-door delivering lanterns are small steps of getting the children to connect with people.
“These acts can foster closer relationships among the young and the elders,” Chen added.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix courtesy of Art-ED