UTM undergraduates participated in a workshop about bamboo scaffolding and enjoyed Cantonese Opera performances, gaining hands-on experience in the field of intangible heritage
A group of Year 1 students enrolled on UTM’s Cultural and Heritage Management Bachelor’s Degree Programme recently took part in what was termed an “extension activity” linked to the Feast of A-Ma. The festival itself, held at A-Ma Temple, is one of Macao’s most prominent traditional social practices. It honours A-Ma, the Goddess of Seafarers, one of the city’s most venerated Chinese deities.
The undergraduates attended a welcoming dinner on the first day of the festival. They also participated in a workshop about bamboo scaffolding and enjoyed Cantonese Opera performances presented to honour A-Ma.
Participation in activities linked to the Feast of A-Ma enabled the students to immerse themselves in local customs and experience the richness of the festival’s cultural heritage. Beforehand, they had attended a guest lecture about the Feast of A-Ma, held at UTM on 11 April.
This year’s Feast of A-Ma was held from 29 April to 3 May, coinciding with the 23rd day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar (this year on 1 May), the day A-Ma is believed to have been born.
The belief and customs associated with A-Ma are deeply rooted in the Macao community. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the festival’s inscription – in 2014 – on the list of national intangible cultural heritage of the People’s Republic of China.
The preservation and transmission of this tradition have been sustained through the efforts of the Chinese Opera Association of Terrestrial and Maritime Dwellers of Barra, Macau. The group has been designated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China as the protection unit for the belief and customs associated with A-Ma in Macao.
The “2024 Macao Belief and Customs of A-Ma” extension activity attended by the UTM students was hosted by the association in collaboration with The Heritage Society, a Macao-based group promoting the city’s heritage. The extension activity was supported by the Macao Foundation.
Ms. Kate Kwan Chi Wo, from The Heritage Society, coordinated the extension activity. She had been one of the speakers at the April guest lecture.
On 1 May, Ms. Kwan gave the UTM students a guided tour of the A-Ma Temple area, sharing insights on the place of worship and its connection to the Barra district. In addition, Ms. Kwan discussed the tradition – part of the Feast of A-Ma – of erecting a temporary theatre made of bamboo to host Cantonese opera performances.
The UTM students participating in the extension activity also attended a workshop on bamboo scaffolding techniques, a skill included in Macao’s own Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Bamboo scaffolding has practical everyday use, commonly being employed in Macao for elevated platforms utilised by workers for renovations and repairs to buildings, as well as for making traditional temporary structures such as bamboo theatres.
The workshop was conducted by veteran scaffolder Mr. Chio Seng Wai, principal of Seng Kei Barraqueiro, a local business specialising in that work. He was accompanied by experienced master Mr. Leong Wo.
The two experts explained the engineering techniques used in building a bamboo theatre, along with the tools required. The UTM group had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and learn basic bamboo-scaffolding skills under the guidance of these veteran experts.
Content: Dr. Vicky Chen Zhaoyu, UTM Lecturer
Editor: UTM Public Relations Team
