Children of the People’s Housing Project (PPR) at Jalan Sungai lit up their flat with over 100 handmade star lanterns just in time for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

PRESS RELEASE

21 APRIL 2023

The making of a giant star lantern had been an annual Aidilfitri ritual at the PPR flat until COVID-19 hit in 2020. It used to only involve young men due to its size and difficulty. This year, GEMPAK 100, a community-based arts and culture programme started in January 2022 by Arts-ED, a local non-profit organisation, aimed to rejuvenate the communal tradition of star lantern-making.

Titled Nur. Light. 光 , this edition of Gempak 100 provided a platform for artisans in the community to collaborate with Arts-ED facilitators to transmit the knowledge and skills of star-lantern making to the younger generation. The goal is to bring the community together by making the craft accessible to all ages and groups, especially children and female groups.

Throughout 7 weeks and 10 workshop sessions, more than 40 children aged 7-15 years and adult residents were involved in the process of teaching, learning, and making of star lanterns. Their efforts culminated in the lighting up ceremony on the night of April 18th, which was attended by YB Lim Siew Khim, state assemblywoman for Sungai Pinang, and other residents of the flat.

But it was not just simple craft-making workshops. The children learned to define for themselves the significance of light in their community through interviewing older residents and exploring the historical functions and also symbolic meanings of light.

With a deeper understanding of the meanings of light, the children decorated and dedicated a special message to their community members with each of the 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 mudah rezeki (blessed with sustenance),” said Project Coordinator, Chen Yoke Pin. “From their parents, siblings, relatives, and neighbours, to the cleaners, community guards, and residents’ association committee, the children made the lanterns with care and love.”

On the finale night, the children went door to door to deliver their specially crafted lanterns. “Happy” and “terkejut (surprised)” were the words most commonly used by the children to describe their feelings. Tan Lay Heong, one of the facilitators, commented on the impact of the interaction on both the children and the community members.

“When I followed them to give the star lanterns, the community really appreciated what the kids were doing, giving them a hug, a thank you, expressing that they felt touched… the kids were beaming.”

10-year-old Muhammad Mustaqim bin Muhammad Rejab, one of the Gempak 100 participants since 2022, was ecstatic because he could make and gift star lanterns of his own creation to the people he loves and cares for.

Apart from the children’s improved self confidence, Coordinator-cum-Facilitator Nurul Shahira binti Jamaluddin noticed a shift in the adult residents’ perceptions of the childrens’ ability.

“Usually the adults didn't encourage the children to make the star with them because they considered it adult craft-making, but now they have realised that children are also able, and are very excited and eager, to make the star lanterns together.”

Siblings Erisya Balkish binti Mohd Fazrul and Muhammad Adam Aryan bin 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,” Adam shared. “Making crafts together with friends is the best,” added Erisya.

From left to right: Mustaqim (10), Adam (10), and Erisya (11) happily posing with their handmade star lanterns.

Star lantern-making is only the first phase of Arts-ED’s plans at the PPR this year.

“We wanted to push for more interactions and exchanges of knowledge and ideas among community members, parents and children, as well as from the old to the young and vice versa,” said Chen.

“The physical acts of making lanterns, crafting messages, and personally gifting to the houses are little steps in getting the children to connect with people, to open up possibilities for collaboration among the children and the adults later in the year.”

Watch this video for more about the Gempak 100 Bintang Raya journey!