Written by Administrator II
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Date: 4 to 7 July
Venue: Streets of inner George Town (Heritage trail)
Heritage Celebrations, the annual event that marks the seventh anniversary of the city’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will be celebrated this year from 4 to 7 July. Organised by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), the Heritage Celebrations 2015 is endorsed by the Penang State Government, City Council of Penang Island, Penang Global Tourism and George Town Festival.
Themed “Eat Rite”, this year’s heritage celebrations will showcase George Town’s traditional and ritual foods that have been passed down through generations.
The celebrations begin with a major food festival on Saturday evening, 4 July, which involves the making of a variety of cultural ritual foods such as Aadi Koozh, Art Bwa, Barmeah, Bubur Asyura, Gajrela, Suan Pan Tsu, and more. The public will be able to experience and make these foods themselves with the guidance of community members. Seeing that celebratory foods are embedded within culture, Heritage Celebrations 2015 will walk participants through various festive and food related activities during the four days of celebration.
One of the highlights this year is the cooking class called “Cooking from the Heart”, which will feature rituals foods from experienced cooks from George Town’s various communities. These will include the Rice Kheer & Atte Ke Pureh from the Punjabi’s; Nasi Ulam, Beef Rendang & Pulut Kuning from the Malays and other Muslim communities; Ang Koo Kuih, Lam Mee, Nasi Kunyit & Kari Kay from the Nyonya’s, Sambar, Ponggal & Payasam from the Indian’s, Bengkang Suji from the Jawi Peranakan and Yoke Tang & Ik Bwa from the Hainan community.
In the cooking classes, participants will not only gain insight into the cooking techniques and ingredients, they will also learn about the cultural significance and functions of foods from different communities. Registration is required for each class and a RM50 registration fee will be charged. Food and culture lovers can register by calling 016-4902780 or by dropping an email to rsvp.heritagecelebrations@gmail.com. Class sizes are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Apart from hands-on learning, the public can also gain more knowledge about ritual foods in a series of public talks conducted by experts such as Dato’ Dr. Wazir Jahan Karim, Dr. K. Ramanathan, Ms. Lim Gaik Siang, Dr .Ong Jin Teong and Dr. Hanafi Hussin who will share their knowledge about the significance of festive and ritual foods among the diverse communities in Penang and other regions of Malaysia.
Popular walking trails are also back this year with two themed walks. On the first walk titled ‘Pasar Ramadhan’, guides will lead participants on a tour through the Pasar Ramadhan to help participants choose the perfect meal to breakfast. A second walk titled ‘The Spice Trail’ will take participants on a journey of discovery of the various spices found in George Town, and their application in food for religious festivals as well as for better health.
Other activities for Heritage Celebrations 2015 also include home visits, where long-time local residents will welcome visitors inside their homes to share their special home-cooked festive dishes and joyful moments around the family dining table. The Kaki Lima short film screenings will be held the evening of 5 July, and the Hong Kong Street Tow Boh Keong will also be making a rare display of the Nine Emperor Gods Vegetarian Prayer Offerings on 7 July.
Last but not least, Heritage Celebrations 2015 is proud to have Royal Thai Consulate General to showcase Khao Pong and Khai Pla, which are festive snacks served in Southern Thailand during their Hungry Ghost Month. Khao Pong functions as a raft that takes the spirits of ancestors across the three realms of Heaven, Earth and the Underworld; while Khai Pla are accessories for the deceased. Both of these will be demonstrated by the local Thai community on the evening of 4 July.
All information about the various activities, foods and time of events is readily available in the Heritage Celebrations 2015 programme booklet or at www.heritagecelebrations.info. For further enquiries, you may contact Heritage Celebrations Hotline at +6016 490 2780 or email to heritagecelebrations@gmail.com.
