For visitors to Ubin, perhaps one of the ways to explore Chinese folk religion is to visit the German Girl Shrine located east of Pulau Ubin near Ketam Quarry (Googlemaps link).
Local folklore goes that the girl was the daughter of a coffee plantation manager who lived near the present temple site in the early 20th century.
Being a foreign girl, the shrine was built with a doll as the centerpiece with accompanying rosary, perfumed water, powder foundation, nail polish and lipstick.
Beside the main object of worship there are other dieties including Tau Pek Kong; Tu Di Gong; Na Tuk Kong. Datuks – or mispronounced as Na Tuks – are considered remnants of pre-Islamic Malay religion and pork or beer at not consumed so as not to offend them. Following her dietification, the deceased German girl is now seen as Na Tok Guniang 拿 督 姑 娘. Guniang being a term for maiden.
A small shrine is built at the side to honor Orr Ki, literally black mole, who drowned nearby several years ago. Worshipers believed his death was pre-destined in order to be the German girl helper and guardian.
The mix of Christian cross, Na Tuks, Malaysian Chinese dieties at this shrine is a fascinating fusion in Chinese folk religion. Offensive it may be to purists, the Chinese never had wars over religion and it is common to find households where parents practise folk religion with the rest of the family members of different faiths including Buddhists, Catholics and Protestants.
Inventing a Goddess In a New Nation By Sor-Ching Low is an fascinating academic article of this “beautiful German girl”.
Click link below for a panorama view of the shrine.
(Warning – large file download)
Tags: Daoism, folk religion, German Girl Shrine, Nadu Guniang
