John Hardy Memorial Hike 2015

In 2015 Loved ones of John gathered at Torrey Pines Beach and walked to Bathtub Rock, a favorite surfing place of John, and finally laid his ashes to rest. His daughter Meagan is featured in the film. His ashes had traveled with her all these years until this special place was finally chosen to let him go.

John's grandchild Eden is in the first part of the film, held by her Great Grandmother Janet and her Daddy Matt, his grandchild Keira is featured with her Great Aunt Maria, with her Daddy listening to words about her grandfather John, with her Auntie Kelsi, in the walk with her Great Grandmother Janet to the Bathtub Rock, with her Mommy and Great Aunties, with prayer flags around her neck and on the walk back along the beach.
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts

Nine Emperor Gods Festival

These are pictures of an interesting Taoist ceremony I witnessed in Slim River, Malaysia in September of 2000.  It is the Nine Emperor Gods (or Kiu Ong Yah in the Hokkien dialect ) Festival.
 
Village Following Procession in the River
Slim River, Malaysia
 

I have a limited understanding of this
ceremony; however, I will describe what
I know.  I am using it as a scene in a
screenplay I am writing.  Consequently,
if any can point me  to a source for
additional information related to the
ceremony, I would really appreciate it.

 
Preparing to transmit the brothers to or from a river.

Nine sons of the heavenly mother are
emperor /gods and they reside among
the stars. During the first 9 days of the
9th month of the Chinese lunar calendar,
the 9 brothers descend to earth and grant
wishes to worthy supplicants.

The 9 brothers come to earth via
a waterway, in this case, a river.  The
"priests" carry an urn to the river to
receive the 9 brothers from and return
them to heaven.

The procession carrying the urn to the
river was very interesting as the urn was
followed by several "priests" dancing
like monkeys, and they, in turn, were
followed by the entire village.

The urn containing the Brothers enroute to the river.
 
Dancing Priest

The Procession Returning from the River