Cultural heritage | Feast of Na Tcha celebrated with parade

One of only two Na Tcha Temples in Macau held a parade yesterday from the Ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral to Senado Square as a ritual to celebrate the Feast of Na Tcha.

Organized by the Associação do Templo Na Cha (Na Tcha Temple Association), collaborators came from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to join the parade. There were approximately 250 performers in the parade, watched by onlookers in the vicinity of the Ruins of St. Paul’s and other parts of the Historic Center of Macau.

The Hong Kong Dragon House Dragon Lion Association was among the invited performers. Around 10 of its young members danced the “qilin” – a mythical creature – for the parade.

Its leader told the Times that they have participated in the parade for the past decade. It all started when Director-General Ip Tat of the Na Tcha Temple Association considered the qilin dance very suitable for the parade, as it illustrates the inheritance of traditional techniques.

Ip said his association has been working to carry on the rituals and celebrations of the Feast. The rituals were arranged to pray for favorable weather, national prosperity and communal peace.

President Cheng Kun Kuong of the Associação do Templo da Calçada das Verdades de Macau thinks that more people have learned about Na Tcha culture only after the Feast was inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Macau. He also encourages more people to take an interest in preserving the tradition.

The Feast of Na Tcha is widely celebrated in China and other parts of Asia with substantial Chinese communities. It is also celebrated in Japan, with the deity known as Nata or Nataku.

The Feast, along with its celebrations and rituals, was inscribed as Macau Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017 and as National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2015.

The deity’s relation with Macau is told as a myth. A long time ago, a child in an apron with a hair bun was always spotted playing with other children on Persimmon Hill – or Chi Shan – where the Ancient Temple stands now. Because of his alleged resemblance to Na Tcha, The villagers thought he was an incarnation of the deity. Their suspicions were confirmed by his apparent ability to keep every child safe despite the steepness of the hill, so they built a temple there to honor the deity.

Local people believe Na Tcha to be from Chinese culture, and the deity is worshipped in a Taoist manner. However, Buddhists also celebrate the Feast, and Buddhist monks were present at yesterday’s parade.

Like many other religious rituals, those for the Feast of Na Tcha have been localized. The preservation of the Macau rituals was managed despite a generational gap, when for about three decades no celebrations were held. Yet the practices survived.

Another parade, titled “The Prince Na Tcha Parade,” is taking place today at 10 a.m. This parade will feature a golden dragon guard and celestial beauties scattering petals in abundance. It starts at the Na Tcha Ancient Temple on Calçada das Verdades, and travels through Rua de São Paulo, Rua da Palha and Rua de São Domingos, before finishing at Senado Square. Staff reporter