Members of Trinity College School’s Cultural Awareness Group delighted the school community with an early celebration of Lunar New Year and the incoming “Year of the Dragon,” on Friday, February 2nd.
Celebrated in many Asian countries and by people of Asian heritage the world over, Lunar New Year marks the start of year on the lunisolar calendar, and the beginning of the Spring Festival, culminating in the Lantern Festival. Each year is associated with one of 12 animal signs of the zodiac, and this year it is the dragon (or wood dragon). Dragons are strong and powerful, full of energy, and also idealistic and wise. They are associated with abundance and long life.
The Junior and Senior School libraries both featured displays of books honouring the New Year and Asian cultures and authors. While CAG decorated the Senior School for Lunar New Year, Boulden House was decorated by the Junior School’s Allies Against Racism and Discrimination. On February 8th, Junior School assembly was a chance for students to learn about Lunar New Year, and the ways it is celebrated in a number of countries.
On February 2nd, a non-uniform day was declared in the Junior and Senior Schools, with students wearing the colours associated with Lunar New Year: red (symbolizing happiness and good fortune), and yellow/gold (representing prosperity and hope). In some cases, students wore traditional clothing for the day.
In the Senior School, the Asian students of CAG worked diligently to create educational and fun activities for their peers. In morning chapel, the CAG students hosted a fun trivia contest related to Lunar New Year and Asian culture. During break and flex, a video created by the students played in the commons. This helped get everyone excited for the evening community event to come! The students created a “carnival” in Cirne Commons and attendees were provided with a passport; by visiting the different carnival stations, they could receive stamps in their passport and then be entered into a prize draw. The commons was alive with energy as students enjoyed activities such as riddles and games (such as kicking a shuttlecock to keep it in the air as long as possible), paper crafts, calligraphy, and wonderful dumplings for everyone to sample. A student played the guzheng, a traditional instrument like a harp. And the always popular BobaLoka bubble tea truck popped up in the commons with delicious boba tea drinks and Japanese snacks such as ramen and mochi cakes.
Then, everyone headed outside to watch fireworks fill the sky above campus, a fitting end to a wonderful day of celebration of the Lunar New Year and Asian cultures.
Happy Lunar New Year!
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