Deities Procession in Roban

Roban (a sub-district of Kabong), Sarawak was a very small town that contained lots of memories especially for Papa Tay followed by me, Rosamond and JoJo.

It’s where we born and grew up. It’s where we started our formal education. It’s where we met our friends.

It’s where we say hello to our neighbors (whom we known for so many years) with a friendly smile as we walked down the street.  It’s where we learned the hardest life lessons.

Roban seeped deep into our soul and we had strong attachment to Roban. We loved Roban. We always will no matter how far we moved away.

Hence, last night we make our way to Roban for watching annually deities procession. The deities procession usually fallen in the 22th February according to Chinese lunar calendar.

It considered as the biggest event for small town like Roban. The town area flooded with people for enjoying annually deities procession. 

Newspaper reported the annually deities procession will be started on 6 pm but at the end 7 pm just began.

 While waiting, S.E.L.F.I.E & camwhoring with the kids. Looking at the 4th picture, Papa Tay & Uncle were so relax shaking their legs waiting deities' arrival. hahaha

Besides that, we had ice cream bun offered by our Uncle. 

I used to eat ice cream bun in my very young age and now hard to find it anymore in the supermarket except D.I.Y  (do it yourself). 

I felt so good when eating ice cream bun.

The procession finally started on 7 pm from the Malay village and then winded to the Roban town area. 

Chai Sen Ye (i.e God of Prosperity) was the first for deities procession. He distributed sweets to anyone lined up on the street witnessing the procession 

 Then, a group of devotees carried the chariot by foot accompanying with loud sound of drum beats.

However, I can't recognized which deities on the chariot.

Papa Tay like usual offered 3 holly sticks for the deities.

I saw some chariots tossed higher than the devotees' head while some were swinging the chariots here and there. All of them shouted for joy and celebration 

Oh no. it's not an easy task. It seriously required 10 persons or more than that to hold the chariots steadily. 

The chariots was in the form of vehicles that bearing big holly sticks 

 Some of the devotees were came from other districts like Kuching, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu and so on 

All of them paid attention in witnessing the procession. 

The procession ended on 7.45 pm. 

After that, we departed to the Temple as a dance performance from Sibu was organized. Actually, few days before the procession had the solo singing performance and the performer will be obtained Rm 5 according to Uncle. I didn't like this type of solo singing performance because most of them were old people and their songs definitely not liking my tastes.

In contrast, during actual day the well trained entertainment company was hired by the temple committee to responsible for singing and dancing performance. Yes, it really met my taste and requirement. All the songs were trendy songs and the dances were so interesting sometimes. I like it very much. 

All people also waited for singing & dancing performance

 There was no fancy restaurant near the Temple, the temporary food stalls were set up 

It had fried chicken wings, fried hot dogs, grilled chicken wings, drinks, kacang kuda.

Papa Tay was awarded a flag due to he donated few hundreds ringgit for Roban Temple

Papa urged us to go up to the stage for getting the flag for him but we all refused to do so. Finally, he got it by his own. 

Besides that, the way that emcee called the people to get the awarded flags were very funny. 

For example, When the emcee called  Papa Tay's names but he didn't showed up at first. So, the emcee said "Ah Ku (i.e Uncle's name) may help to get the flag" on the stage. 

Oh my god, first time encountered such "higher level outspoken" emcee

The committee sang a birthday song for deities

followed by dancing performance

Even though left home for so many years and had been witnessed grand performance but procession in Roban was different with them. 

It's special. It got the foods like kacang kuda, chicken wings that I had when I was grown up. It got the only entertainment, deities procession that possessed early stage of my life. It got the familiar faces that I hardly saw nowadays but they still in my memories.

Roban, you always in my mind and not be forgotten!!!