The tenth of thousands of people in the anniversary of the New Year of Imlek 2568/2017 gathered in a small city on the coast of Riau Province, called Selatlong. They love the joy of attending the Water War Festival, a world’s world’s world-wide game. There are only one rules of “water fight” attractions that have lasted for decades: “If you are watered, it is forbidden to get angry”.
The water war in Hokian is called "Cian Cui", is more as much as the balance of the water war "Songkran" in Thailand, because it lasts six days during the Chinese New Year's warning (Lunar New Year). "Cian Cui" was originally the local children's way to fill the time during the celebration of Imlek by watering.
The struggle of this water is then a tradition, and since 2013 local governments pack it into a festival. Citizens and tourists who get around in the "war meditation" by riding a becak, must be ready to receive the attacks coming from the roadside. The war lasts for two hours at 16.00 to 18.00 WIB.
Citizens and tourists are flushed in the Water War Festival in Selatlong City, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau.
The sixth Chinese New Year's Office in Selatlong City, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau.
The location is determined in five protocol roads, namely Jl. Diponegoro, Kartini, Imam Bonjol, A. Yani and Jl. Tebing High. Participants are not allowed to throw water with plastic packaging because it can hurt and tootori the city.
The data of the water war committee of the Meranti Islands Regency Government stated, there are about 36,000 tourists who attended the Water War Festival in this year. About five percent is a foreign tourist. The number of tourists increases compared to 2016, which reached 16,000 people.
The festival ended when the celebration of the sixth Imlek, filled with cultural paragraph. Chinese people get around dozens of lenteng and vihara as a form of ritual celebration. However, because this activity has been packed for tourists, the staffs are now filled with multicultural activities because there is also Reog Ponorogo which is a cultural attraction from East Java.
The sixth New Year's Office in the Cellatlong City, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau.
The number of citizens wear traditional clothes to describe gods when reconciliating the march in the Kota Selatlong, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau.
The series of activities is now a tour of Imlek in Riau, which is interesting to be mined every year.
Photo and Text: FB Anggoro
Chinese breeds reconciliate the march celebrate the sixth New Year in the City of the Meranti Islands, Riau.
Bunga fire from hio which is almost exhausted when the end of the celebration of the New Year of the sixth Imlek in the Kota Selatlong, Meranti Islands Regency, Riau.
The color and tourists are flushed in the Water War Festival in the Kota Selatlong, Riau.
Suasana Kota Selatlong, Meranti Islands District, Riau, during the Water War Festival.
A number of foreign tourists following the Water War Festival in the Kota Selatlong, Meranti Islands District, Riau.
Ekspresi citizens when exposed to water reservoirs in the Water War Festival in Kota Selatlong, Meranti Islands.
