On March 5th I went with the American Women's Association to photograph the Cap Goh Meh festival which was celebrated at Kiew Lee Tong Temple. It was quite a celebration to witness and I wish I had an interpreter of sorts to tell me exactly what was happening. I will explain as best as I understood but please forgive me if I get any of the details wrong. Once again it left me feeling so fortunate to be in this part of the world and experience all of these amazing cultural events.

"Cap Goh Meh is a festival celebrated in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar. In Hokkien dialect Cap Go Meh means the fifteenth evening (cap= ten, go =five, meh=evening). It is also known as the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival or Shangyuan Festival) in China; Cap Goh Meh is a festival celebrated in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar. In Hokkien dialect Cap Go Meh means the fifteenth evening (cap= ten, go =five, meh=evening). It is also known as the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival or Shangyuan Festival) in China; Yuen Siu Festival in Hong Kong, Tết Thượng Nguyên or Tết Nguyên Tiêu in Vietnam; and Koshōgatsu in Japan. It officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations.; and Koshōgatsu in Japan. It officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations." Cap Goh Meh page on Facebook

Inside the temple

Incense sticks

These men were stamping papers with notes that people had written to deceased ancestors.

the stamped papers with notes on the back

A puppet show to entertain the ghosts of the deceased.

These men are holding the "stamp" and moving it over plates of offerings-blessing them I guess?

The 2 men that held the stamp moved around back to back and seemed almost possessed.

Then the papers were carried to a large cage out in front of the Temple and set on fire. The stacks of paper are supposed to represent money that is being sent to the deceased.

the men with the "stamp" again.

the lion dancers arrive

Cai Shen (the God of Wealth) arrives.

These men will go back into the Temple and get dressed in colorful robes and the ornate head dresses that they are holding.

The processional marches out of the front of the temple and then goes back into the temple.

The "stamp" used earlier.

One of the 4 headdresses' on top of the robe and a sword laying in front. 

As these men got into costume they seemed to move into some kind of trance that they stayed in the entire time they were in the costumes. 

Notice how they all keep a finger on the point of the knife blade. 

They exit the temple and dance 

The guys with the "stamp" coming out of the temple.

Time for the Lion dancers

At the end of their performance the lions throw candy and gold (chocolate) coins to the crowd.