Year of the Ox in Sydney
Jan 14, 2009 7:40:27 GMT -5
Post by douglaslam on Jan 14, 2009 7:40:27 GMT -5
Our New Year is but days away.In Sydney, as in many Western cities, the Chinese New Year is fastly becoming a major celebration not just confined to people of Chinese ancestry, it is embraced by the mainstream.
For the last ten or eleven years, City of Sydney has staged a New Year Parade on the first Sunday after the New Year's Day. Various level of Chinese governments have been very enthusiastic in making the parade a big success. They send in hundreds of performers, with their colourful costumes, instruments, drums, cymbals and all the flair and exuberance that are characteristic of the way Chinese welcoming in their New Year. They are complimented by local marching bands, lion and dragon dance groups, jugglers,... you name it. It is a carnival gaining wide recognition and television news coverage.
Among the community groups taking part, I always pay special attention to the adoptive parents group of orphans from China, if I am not in the parade myself. These adoptive parents are very special people. They make a long term commitment to make a difference to an orphan's life. It is a long and frustrating process to adopt abroad. The parents take part in the parade and other activities as they do not wish to alienate their children from their culture and roots.
At the end of the parade , I try to look for the parents. I thank them for making great personal sacrifice and commitment to change the children's lives for the better. I talk to the kids ask their names and perhaps, give each a hug. It makes me so happy and a great start to a New Year.
For the 2009 Year of the Ox, the City Council decided to hold a twilight candle light parade instead of a daytime one. From a reliable source, this is to do with the cost involved in road closure. An evening parade would deter many of our older citizens to watch this colourful pageant. How well it is received, we don't have long to wait.
Douglas
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cny/Events/ChineseNewYearParade.aspx
www.sydneymedia.com.au/html/3799-chinese-new-year-festival---year-of-the-ox-to-light-up-sydney.asp?orig=Home
For the last ten or eleven years, City of Sydney has staged a New Year Parade on the first Sunday after the New Year's Day. Various level of Chinese governments have been very enthusiastic in making the parade a big success. They send in hundreds of performers, with their colourful costumes, instruments, drums, cymbals and all the flair and exuberance that are characteristic of the way Chinese welcoming in their New Year. They are complimented by local marching bands, lion and dragon dance groups, jugglers,... you name it. It is a carnival gaining wide recognition and television news coverage.
Among the community groups taking part, I always pay special attention to the adoptive parents group of orphans from China, if I am not in the parade myself. These adoptive parents are very special people. They make a long term commitment to make a difference to an orphan's life. It is a long and frustrating process to adopt abroad. The parents take part in the parade and other activities as they do not wish to alienate their children from their culture and roots.
At the end of the parade , I try to look for the parents. I thank them for making great personal sacrifice and commitment to change the children's lives for the better. I talk to the kids ask their names and perhaps, give each a hug. It makes me so happy and a great start to a New Year.
For the 2009 Year of the Ox, the City Council decided to hold a twilight candle light parade instead of a daytime one. From a reliable source, this is to do with the cost involved in road closure. An evening parade would deter many of our older citizens to watch this colourful pageant. How well it is received, we don't have long to wait.
Douglas
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cny/Events/ChineseNewYearParade.aspx
www.sydneymedia.com.au/html/3799-chinese-new-year-festival---year-of-the-ox-to-light-up-sydney.asp?orig=Home
