17/02/2026

TUESDAY | FEB 17, 2026

READ OUR

HERE

6

Malaysian Paper

/thesun

Lion dance ‘cubs’ ready to roar

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PASIR MAS: As Chinese New Year draws near, the quiet village of Kampung Pasir Parit in Chekok comes alive with the steady rhythm of tradition inside the home of Wee Ah Liong. Aged 80, Wee is still very much at the heart of the festive rush, tirelessly preparing kiam koay , or kia koi in the Kelantan dialect, which is a traditional treat passed down through four generations. While many in the Chinese community, especially the younger generation, are unfamiliar with the delicacy today, orders continue to pour in each year. Each treat weighs a hefty 60kg and takes nine hours to prepare. Wee inherited the craft from his late father, Wee Sock Kui, more than four decades ago and has continued the painstaking process ever since. “It is usually prepared twice a year, during Chinese New Year and again for the mid-year (autumn) celebration in September or October, which is the second biggest festival,” he said when met at his home recently. He opens orders a month before the celebration, but demand often exceeds what he is able to manage. “I could only prepare about six kia koi for each festive season,” said the father of six, who limits production to safeguard quality. The process is long and requires precision. Wee uses just two steamers GEORGE TOWN: On three evenings each week, while many youths unwind with phones and social media, a group of teenagers and young adults gather in a modest training space in Penang to keep an ancient tradition alive. They are members of the Prosperity Lion Troupe, a close-knit group of 18 performers aged between 10 and 24, learning the demanding art of lion dancing, not just as a festive performance but also as a shared inheritance passed from one generation to the next. “Some start very young. It takes time to develop the strength, coordination and trust needed,” said troupe spokesperson Gina Ng. Training is held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, focusing on endurance, timing and synchronisation. Each lion requires two performers – one controlling the head with blinking eyes and expressive gestures, and the other forming the body and tail – moving as one to give the illusion of a

They enter competitions but are preparing to do so, with plans to learn the more complex dragon dance, which involves a long articulated dragon controlled by multiple performers. As interest in traditional practices wanes among some youth, Ng said the lion dance remains a powerful way to connect with heritage and has also been embraced by other communities. Beyond Chinese New Year, performances are common at business openings and ceremonial events, in which the lions are believed to ward off misfortune and usher in prosperity. For the young performers, however, the weekly training sessions are about more than drums and costumes. “It is discipline, teamwork and cultural continuity. It is a new generation deciding that this tradition is worth carrying forward.” have yet to

Ng said performers observe strict customs and taboos to honour the ritual. “When leaving the entrance, we must not use the lion’s head to leave. Instead, we exit using the lion’s tail,” she said, explaining that the act symbolises respect for the space just blessed. Performers also avoid entering private areas such as bedrooms, as the dance is meant to bless public and business spaces. The craft extends to the costumes themselves. The troupe’s lion shoes are custom-made with paw designs so footwork mimics animal movements rather than human steps. Lion heads, costumes and drums are sourced from China, Vietnam and Malaysia, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern regional production. For now, the troupe operates as a single unit known as Team A.

luck and prosperity. “The purpose of the lion dance is to increase business luck and fortune. We call this heng ong huat, ” Ng said, referring to the Hokkien phrase associated with prosperity. During Chinese New Year, the troupe also features Cai Shen, the God of Wealth, alongside the lions. Business owners prepare offerings such as oranges, vegetables, pomelos, pineapples and bananas, each carrying symbolic meaning. Oranges represent wealth, pineapples prosperity, pomelos completeness and abundance, while vegetables symbolise growth and renewal. The lion interacts with the offerings in a ritual known as cai qing , or plucking the greens, symbolising the receiving and spreading of good fortune. Yet beneath the festive colours and booming drums lies a tradition shaped by discipline and respect.

fitted with specially made covers. From start to finish, each treat takes about nine hours to preserve its traditional taste, texture and aroma. To produce one treat, 10kg of rice soaked in lime water and salt is first grounded before being partially cooked in a large wok. The mixture is then transferred into a special container and steamed over a wood fire for nine hours, a method that helps retain its distinctive fragrance. “After steaming, the treat is left to cool at room temperature for two days before being removed and cut according to customers’ requests. It is sold at RM12 per kg,” said Wee, who is assisted throughout by his 76-year-old wife, Ko Mek Gan. Beyond being eaten as a sweet treat, kia koi also pairs well with savoury dishes such as bihun soup and kuey teow ladna . Cut into bite-sized pieces, it could be dipped in palm sugar syrup or grated coconut, eaten with soup or even fried. Wee said its versatility sets it apart from other traditional foods. Despite his age, he remains firmly focused on the future. “I hope the younger generation would continue to appreciate and inherit the making of kia koi so that this traditional treat would not disappear with time and could be enjoyed by future generations.” – Bernama o Troupe with members as young as ten honing performance skills living creature. Behind them, a six-member percussion ensemble consisting of a drum, four cymbals and a gong fills the space with rhythm. The drum sets the pace while the cymbals and gong punctuate every leap, bow and playful shake of the lion’s head. A standard performance lasts about 20 minutes and usually involves two lions, although more may be requested depending on the occasion. Fees range from RM288 to RM1,688, depending on the scale and venue requirements. For many businesses and families, the lion dance is believed to bring

Octagenarian keeps kiam koay tradition alive

Wee beside his wife, being assisted by family members during the traditional kiam koay preparation process. – BERNAMAPIC

‘Horseperity Market’ offers visitors immersive Chinese New Year experience KUALA LUMPUR: Horseperity Market, jointly organised by Bungkuslab Connect and Zen Capital, has opened at the outdoor plaza of Hextar World Empire City in Petaling Jaya, offering visitors a lively urban festive experience in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration. Guided by the curatorial concept of “Culture, Lifestyle and Social Connection,” Horseperity Market goes beyond the conventional buy-and-sell framework of traditional markets by emphasising spatial experience, content curation and meaningful human interaction. original brands to test their positioning and market response in real conditions. He added that for established mid to-high-tier brands, participating in the market would provide an opportunity to break out of conventional circles while fostering collaborations and creative synergies with emerging local brands. Visit Malaysia 2026 mascot parade, designed to create an immersive Chinese New Year experience for visitors.

brands play a role in shaping the overall festive lifestyle narrative, co-creating the Chinese New Year experience with the community and venue. Meanwhile, Hextar Group CEO Datuk Eddie Ong highlighted the importance of collaboration and platform sharing in today’s business environment, adding that such ecosystems such as Horseperity Market enable emerging entrepreneurs to leverage resources and expertise from established companies. – Bernama

It brings together a wide array of renowned brands, including MixStore, MoneyX, World Gourmet, Hai Di Lao, Kopi Hut, Kanika, Joymom, Cuckoo and Public Bank, with each brand integrating creative engagements into the market experience. Organiser and Zen Capital founder Regine Lim said the participating

Founder of Bungkuslab Connect Kenzo Lim said in a statement that Horseperity Market aims to serve as a low-risk incubation platform to nurture talent and brands while enabling local

The 19-day market, which runs until Feb 22, blends culture, lifestyle and social activities to create a vibrant Chinese New Year atmosphere for the public.

The market features various festive cultural activities, including traditional music performances, lion dances, live band shows, interactive games and a