BY ELLISIA TINGASS
KUCHING: Bak Chang, a glutinous rice dumpling stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves, is synonymous to the Chinese community.
It is particularly consumed by them during the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.
But this year, in keeping to the spirit of inclusivity espoused by the government, the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) organised a demonstration on how to make the bak chang and opened its doors to all.
Altogether 60 people, of all races and creed, turned up for the demonstration held at the MBKS building here yesterday (June 14).
Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng said the aims was to let everyone in on how to make the bak chang.
“So, today we want to teach them, all races in Sarawak such as the Malays, Iban, Bidayuh to learn how to do the bak chang,” he said, adding the
ingredients were halal as there were Muslim participants who joined the bak chang-making.
“We respect all races and religions here, so we are using chicken meat for the bak chang, ” he said, pointing to the people’s propensity to celebrate festive occasions together.
The bak chang’s origins date back to ancient China, where during the Chu Dynasty, a famous poet named Qu Yuan was unfairly exiled for trying to warn the King and the palace of an invasion by a neighbouring kingdom.
Following his unsuccessful attempts, Qu Yuan became depressed and decided to drown himself in the Miluo River.
The people of the Chu Dynasty were so overwhelmed with grief and guilt, that they started throwing rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river, hoping that the fish would feed on the dumplings instead of Qu Yuan’s body.
Some would even row boats down the river, shouting out loud and beating drums to scare the fish away.
Since then, bak chang and the dragon boat festival have become ways to commemorate the poet.
