Chinese New Year in Oamaru

[vilakins]

I've been meaning to catch up with my photo backlog, but hey, here are some from this evening!

I just got back from a wonderful time at the Chinese New Year celebrations in the Oamaru Gardens down the hill from us. There was lots of yummy food, we were entertained by beautiful dances, and I even scored a relaxing massage for a donation. It was a brilliant evening - no fireworks though because there's a fire ban this summer.

I should add: the cultural dance group from Dunedin was led by... a Dr Hu!

It was enormous fun, and tomorrow there's yet more with a steampunk octopus hunt, also in the gardens.




Dragon dance and drummers


Lion dance - this was so cute, performed by a children's dance group, two kids to each lion costume


Fan dance, again by Dr Hu's cultural group


Tibetan dance which features long sleeves which are swung and twirled.

Comments

[capri0mni]

Happy New Year!

[vilakins]

Nihau!

[capri0mni]

This is now the year of the dog.

Let's hope that it is a Very Good Doggo!

[vilakins]

Good boy! Good boy, year! [pets]

[capri0mni]

:-)

[imhilien]

Great pictures, sounds like you had a nice time. :)

[vilakins]

I did! We didn't have the gorgeous lanterns you have as it finished at 8pm when it's still very light (it gets dark after 9 here).

[watervole]

Those are dances that I'd love to see.

I wonder how Tibetans feel about Chinese performing their dances? (not complaining, just wondering)

We have a group of Tibetan monks dancing at Wimborne Minster folk festival this year. Their monastery is in exile in India. The Chinese authorities hold the Panchen Lama and he hasn't been seen in a very long time.