Portland Lunar New Year festival highlights traditions, celebration against backdrop of LA tragedy

On the entrance of Portland’s Lan Su Chinese language Backyard, dancers clad in brightly coloured lion costumes strutted, rolled and mingled with excited youngsters Sunday. The lion dancers — 4 individuals in two costumes— had simply carried out two well-liked routines that symbolize good luck to assist usher within the Lunar New Yr.

Lion dances from the Portland Lee’s Affiliation Dragon & Lion Dance workforce are certainly one of many highlights on the backyard’s Lunar New Yr pageant which runs via Feb. 5 to rejoice the start of the yr primarily based on the lunar calendar. Most international locations that commemorate are marking the Yr of the Rabbit, though these celebrating in Vietnam will welcome the Yr of the Cat.

Venus Solar, Lan Su Chinese language Backyard’s senior director of tradition and group engagement, mentioned the backyard has celebrated this occasion for the previous 22 years, however that is the primary yr they modified the title from “Chinese language New Yr” to “Lunar New Yr,” to incorporate different Asian international locations that additionally rejoice the pageant.

“Yearly that is about how we are able to do that higher and contain extra group members,” Solar mentioned.

For a lot of group members, that meant celebrating whereas dealing with the fact of a tragedy one state away. In Monterey Park, California, a gunman entered a Lunar New Yr occasion late Saturday evening, killing 10 and injuring 10 others. The motive of the capturing was nonetheless unknown Sunday, in line with studies.

However attendees on the Portland backyard mentioned the tragedy made coming collectively all of the extra necessary.

Piyush Amitabh mentioned he had already wished to drive up from Eugene for the occasion. Studying the information this morning didn’t change his plans.

“It highlights the significance of those occasions, regardless of the unhealthy issues on the earth,” he mentioned.

Solar mentioned the mass capturing in Monterey Park was heartbreaking, however makes the existence of the Chinese language backyard all of the extra important.

“Celebrations like this are so necessary. It’s the primary approach to break the hate, break down misunderstandings,” she mentioned. “Individuals are typically afraid of what they don’t perceive. That is by no means proper, however it’s a second for us to appreciate that we’re wanted right here.”

She mentioned the turnout for Sunday’s occasion was heartening.

“There’s a sense, a way of consolation and belonging to know that the lion dance groups are rising and that the youthful generations are getting concerned,” she mentioned.

Six-year-old Josephine Guthrie was excited to return to the occasion after studying in regards to the pageant at school.

“I discovered it was in regards to the moon,” she mentioned. Her favourite half was interacting with the lion dancers as they got here into the viewers.

The lion dancers had been largely middle- and high-school college students, who rehearse as soon as per week and carry out at native occasions all year long. The dance includes detailed choreography and coordination with individuals taking part in drums, cymbals and gongs.

Nick Lee, the drummer, coach and co-founder of the group, mentioned it’s a possibility to share Chinese language tradition with the broader Portland group, but additionally with one another.

“We eat collectively, study correct desk manners and the way to speak to your elders,” mentioned Lee, who based the group 19 years in the past along with his uncle and cousin. “We have now extra of a household environment.”

On Thursday, he’ll host a workshop for youths.

Lan Su Chinese language Backyard will maintain Lunar New Yr festivities for the subsequent two weeks, together with extra lion dances, martial arts performances, calligraphy demonstrations and music. And for the subsequent two weekends, the backyard may also host lantern viewing evenings, when the backyard will likely be illuminated with hanging crimson lanterns. A full schedule of occasions is accessible on-line.

‑Jayati Ramakrishnan; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com

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