Tongkang Burning Festival 2025 believed to signal good omens for work at sea

Tongkang Burning Festival 2025 was held in a lively manner in the town of Bagansiapiapi, Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau Province. Riau Governor Abdul Wahid attended the annual cultural event that has become a national tourism icon on Jun. 12, 2025.

The parade of replica tongkang barge for this year's edition only started at around 16.00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB). Usually the replica tongkang has started to be paraded around 14.00 WIB.

The procession was accompanied by thousands of participants who helped deliver the replica tongkang.Groups from various communities and clans were seen following the procession, so were Chinese temples officials.

The route taken by the parade started from in front of the local Chinese temple through Perdagangan Road before turning to the tongkang-burning site at Peniagaan Road.

The replica tongkang only arrived at the location to be burned around 17.00 WIB. The festival committee installed the mast nce the replica tongkang was placed in a position slightly at the end of the field. There are two masts standing in the middle of the replica barge, which are the main mast and a shorter mast.

After the masts were installed, as is the usual tradition, the replica tongkang was then boarded b,y, among others, Rokan Hilir Regent Rohil H Bistamam, Rokan Hilir Deputy Regent Jhony Charles, Acting Riau Province Regional Secretary M. Job Kurniawan, Riau Police Chief Insp. Gen. Herry Heryawan, and local community leader Sugiato.

After the group of officials disembarked, the replica tongkang was burned. The fire spread quickly across the parts of the replica barge made of wood and paper, and grew large in a short time.

Meanwhile, the participants continued to pray, brandishing incense, and some threw incense that had been brought from the beginning of the parade into a pile of prayer paper under the replica tongkang.

At around 17.35 WIB, the mast of the replica barge that was on fire appeared to have fallen. Starting from a small pole then the main pole, where both fell to the west.  If seen from the town of Bagansiapiapi's location, then the direction of the fallen pole is interpreted as falling towards the sea.

Bagansiapipi town resident A. Yau explained that the direction of the fallen pole for the Chinese community is believed to provide an indication that work which brings a lot of fortune for this year are those related to activities at the waters or the sea.

"Usually, if it falls in [the direction of] the sea, [then there would be] good business at sea," he said.

However, he explained that it was just an omen, and the important thing is to do whatever activity or business one carried out seriously.

During the occasion, Governor Abdul Wahid also took part in the cultural procession from the Rokan Hilir Regent's residence to the main temple using an odong-odong decorated vehicle. He was greeted by the local community and figures from varying ethnic groups.

The Riau Governor said that the Tongkang Burning Festival is an annual procession that is als part of a living cultural heritage that strengthens a sense of togetherness, tolerance, and brotherhood amid the diversity of Riau society.