Dragon dances into Vaughan’s Chinese New Year celebration
‘Little taste of home’ and culture, says resident
YorkRegion.com
Jan. 31, 2016
Teresa Latchford
Vaughan City Hall showed its colours as it ushered in the Year of the Monkey.
Chinese New Year, also known Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, falls on Feb. 8 this year and celebrates more than 4,000 years of history. It is the most important annual event celebrated in the Chinese culture. Traditionally, the festival is a time to celebrate deities as well as ancestors.
In partnership with the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Vaughan, the city’s event featured a traditional lion dance, eye-dotting ceremony and a variety of Chinese games and crafts, as well as cultural performances, including Japanese drummers.
While customs and traditions vary widely, some include families gathering for a reunion on the days leading up to the New Year, thoroughly cleaning the house to sweep away ill-fortune and welcome luck, decorating windows and doors with paper-cuts and couplets, lighting fireworks and giving money gifts in red paper envelopes.
“We came today because it is a Chinese tradition and it is a little taste of home for us,” said Stanley Chen, who originates from China. “It is also a great way to let our children experience the tradition of our culture.”
It is a celebration that is so rich and vibrant and shows the diversity of the community, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said.
“This is the perfect way to demonstrate the cultural richness in the fabric of our community,” he added. “I love the dragons, the colours and the spirit of hope and renewal of the day. The drama of the celebration really does feed the spirit.”
Children raised hand-held flags and all ages wore colourful balloon hats during the celebration, as they were entertained by Doo Doo the Clown, the voice of Jonas M. and, of course, a highlight appearance of the dragon.
Markham and Richmond Hill also staged Chinese New Year events this weekend.
SIDEBAR
DID YOU KNOW?
- one-sixth of the world’s population celebrates Chinese New Year
- it is considered unlucky to wash your hair on New Year’s Day because you risk washing away good luck
- filling your pantry with rice is a symbol of good harvest and prosperity in your career
- the traditional feast includes steamed whole fish, as it is a Chinese metaphor for abundance
