Liberation ceremony
Four vehicles headed for Jeram Tebrau near Tiroi, Labu this Sunday afternoon. Every member of my sister's household, Mom, Mr Wong, Mr Lim, Mdm Chang, her 2 students and I are in this convoy. Mdm Chang is a "liberation" ceremony expert.
The reason was for a "liberation" ceremony at the jungle retreat. It is a Buddhist ceremony where caught and caged animals are released. This symbolises the liberation from suffering of the person who releases the animals, thru the freedom of the animals. I was asked to release 38 birds (symbolises my 38 years of existence), 500 fishes, lots of crickets and lots of frogs to be released at the waterfall retreat. All of us recited phrases to wish these living beings well at their release.
One of the bird was quite ill at her release. I was concerned that the 38th bird may not survive the liberation ceremony; does not augur well for my 38th year of existence then!..hehe...but Mr Wong and Mr Lim assured me that the bird, after resting at a tree truck, managed to fly away.
I always have reservation about such ceremony. Some of these animals are caught in the first place to cater for the "liberation" market. I can't think of any other use for this particular species of bird except to be bought by people who want to do liberation ceremony. The fishes, crickets and frogs may have other uses such as bait.
And releasing wild birds in a habitat unsuitable for them brings them stress and may even be dangerous for them in terms of finding food, shelter and protection from predators. And these birds,I am sure, are survivors of many more which may have died in the arduous journey to reach the pet shop, to be packaged as birds-to-be-liberated.
The birds are packaged in tight newspapers, some could have been suffocating at the bottom of the pile. At the ecological level, these birds are removed from their ecological function (such as pest control) to be released in a habitat that has no use for their function, and may disrupt the ecological cycle of the new habitat.
This will be my first and last liberation ceremony. I would not want to do this ceremony again. The notion that animals getting caught in a "liberation" market is weird and pathetic. I think it brings unnecessary suffering and death. Best to let them be. The animals that really need liberation are the battery chicken and farm animals; not catching and releasing wild animals, into a habitat not of their own!
But all being said, I thank everyone who has organised this for me. Their intention is noble, and I hope the liberated animals find peace.
The reason was for a "liberation" ceremony at the jungle retreat. It is a Buddhist ceremony where caught and caged animals are released. This symbolises the liberation from suffering of the person who releases the animals, thru the freedom of the animals. I was asked to release 38 birds (symbolises my 38 years of existence), 500 fishes, lots of crickets and lots of frogs to be released at the waterfall retreat. All of us recited phrases to wish these living beings well at their release.
One of the bird was quite ill at her release. I was concerned that the 38th bird may not survive the liberation ceremony; does not augur well for my 38th year of existence then!..hehe...but Mr Wong and Mr Lim assured me that the bird, after resting at a tree truck, managed to fly away.
I always have reservation about such ceremony. Some of these animals are caught in the first place to cater for the "liberation" market. I can't think of any other use for this particular species of bird except to be bought by people who want to do liberation ceremony. The fishes, crickets and frogs may have other uses such as bait.
And releasing wild birds in a habitat unsuitable for them brings them stress and may even be dangerous for them in terms of finding food, shelter and protection from predators. And these birds,I am sure, are survivors of many more which may have died in the arduous journey to reach the pet shop, to be packaged as birds-to-be-liberated.
The birds are packaged in tight newspapers, some could have been suffocating at the bottom of the pile. At the ecological level, these birds are removed from their ecological function (such as pest control) to be released in a habitat that has no use for their function, and may disrupt the ecological cycle of the new habitat.
This will be my first and last liberation ceremony. I would not want to do this ceremony again. The notion that animals getting caught in a "liberation" market is weird and pathetic. I think it brings unnecessary suffering and death. Best to let them be. The animals that really need liberation are the battery chicken and farm animals; not catching and releasing wild animals, into a habitat not of their own!
But all being said, I thank everyone who has organised this for me. Their intention is noble, and I hope the liberated animals find peace.
posted by Hee Boon at 2:52 am
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