On Saturday, I helped my neighbors in the International District celebrate the lunar New Year's Eve - the year of the snake!
Things I learned on Saturday:
The lunar calendar operates in a 12 year cycle with each year named for an animal. As the story goes (and of course, with folk-lore, there are dozens of versions of the same story), the emperor called all the animals to a meeting, and decided that the years would be named for the animals in the order in which they arrived. At the end of the race, the animals had to cross a river to reach the emperor - this of course, was easier for some than others. There was an array of good deeds (the dragon breathing a puff of air to the rabbit who was clinging to a floating log to push him to shore) and shenanigans (the snake clinging to the horse's hoof to cross the river, then startling the horse to beat him to the finish line).
As you probably already know, each sign designates certain personality traits. Forgotten you sign, or need to double check that your stubbornness is actually due to your Zodiac sign? Visit this site: Zodiac Traits to learn about your sign (if you click on your animal on the left side of the page, it gives you even more information)!
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| Hing Hay Park |
When I arrived, there was a large crowd gathered around a stage. Curious, I wiggled my way into the crowd and settled in behind the stage. The performance started down the street a ways, and wound up entering the stage from where I was standing. I definitely got whacked by one of their fancy hats.
As it turns out, they were a traditional dance group from the Republic of Korea. More things I didn't know before Saturday: This type of traditional dance is called Pungmul. It's typically performed outside with many musicians and dancers. Although all of the work is choreographed (and some of it incredibly acrobatic) the part that caught my eye, as I'm sure everyone else's was the synchronization of the hats, plumes and ribbons. The accompanying music is led by a small handheld gong player, a Kkwaenggwari (please don't ever ask me to pronounce that), and also includes an array of other drums played by the dancers. Pungmul roots in the collective farm labor, and also has shamanistic elements (represented by the brightly colored sashes).
Sadly, I was unable to get a video of the performers I saw, but here is one from another performance:
When that performance ended, I had worked up an appetite, and decided to check out the "food walk" which consisted of about 30 restaurants in the international district serving $2 tastes of their specialties (by my standards, the tastes were still pretty sizable meals) and two of those filled me up pretty quickly. Sadly, this meant I couldn't enter my stamped card in the drawing for fun things since I needed at least four stamps.
I was hoping I could work up an appetite by walking around (in case you're wondering, I never got more food), so I stopped by a giant, crowded tent that looked like fun. A lot of the things in the tent were directed toward children. The Seattle Art Museum had some neat looking arts and crafts, and if the table wasn't so crowded, I probably would have jumped in and made a paper snake with the kiddies (although I would have had to "move" a few of them... and it didn't seem right to push children).
I continued down the tent, looking at the other activities and shops until I found a crowd. Of course, I had to see what was there, and I'm glad I did. There was a little crocodile! I got to pet him, then had a kind stranger snap this photo.
He smelled kind of like the reptile room at the zoo (so not fabulous, but what do you expect?), but it was still super nifty to have a crocodile on my head!
When I left the red tent, I began walking back up toward my apartment when the sound of drumming and firecrackers caught my attention (and when my nose has run its course, I always follow my ears). I was fortunate enough to have come across a traditional Lion Dance (not to be confused with the Dragon Dance - which I totally did at first). This dance had two lions (manned by 2 people each) and was accompanied by a Laughing Buddha (with a mask and robe), as well as an old man with a scroll (wearing a long beard and robe). The Lions would dance up the street, sometimes teased by the Laughing Buddha's fan, and stop to dance outside of restaurants. Typically, the whole dance is done by a martial arts school, and people give the dancers red envelopes with money in it as a sign of good fortune and luck for the giver (as well as a small donation to the martial arts school for the expense of such a display). Although this dance was done by a martial arts school, I didn't see any red envelopes being given (if only I had known - I could absolutely use some luck, and they could probably use a few bucks!).
After a few moments of dancing, bowing, and being teased by the Laughing Buddha, they would enter the restaurant. Since we couldn't follow them inside, I had to look up what they may have been doing in there. Traditionally, the Lions would dance inside the restaurant, then reach up to the ceiling to grab a red envelope and head of lettuce - which they tear up and scatter (the lettuce, NOT the money filled envelope of course!) as a sign of good fortune and wealth for the restaurant. Although I can't be certain that was exactly what was happening inside, it's an awesome tradition none-the-less, and I enjoyed the accompanying musicians on drums and handheld gongs outside. When the lions were done dancing at the restaurants, firecrackers were lit outside the door as a way to ward off evil, and then they move on to the next spot.
I continued down the tent, looking at the other activities and shops until I found a crowd. Of course, I had to see what was there, and I'm glad I did. There was a little crocodile! I got to pet him, then had a kind stranger snap this photo.
When I left the red tent, I began walking back up toward my apartment when the sound of drumming and firecrackers caught my attention (and when my nose has run its course, I always follow my ears). I was fortunate enough to have come across a traditional Lion Dance (not to be confused with the Dragon Dance - which I totally did at first). This dance had two lions (manned by 2 people each) and was accompanied by a Laughing Buddha (with a mask and robe), as well as an old man with a scroll (wearing a long beard and robe). The Lions would dance up the street, sometimes teased by the Laughing Buddha's fan, and stop to dance outside of restaurants. Typically, the whole dance is done by a martial arts school, and people give the dancers red envelopes with money in it as a sign of good fortune and luck for the giver (as well as a small donation to the martial arts school for the expense of such a display). Although this dance was done by a martial arts school, I didn't see any red envelopes being given (if only I had known - I could absolutely use some luck, and they could probably use a few bucks!).
Heres a video of the Lion Dance:
When I realized I could no longer feel my toes (I've become a cold wimp this year - no more Ithaca winters for this lady!), and was satisfied that I had seen and experienced as much as I possibly could, I stopped following the Lions, and headed back home. I'd say the New Year was a happy one for me.
For those who observed, a happy, prosperous new year to you!
恭禧發財
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