The Whittles Down Under: Lion Dance in Chinatown

I am completely and totally fascinated by the Chinese New Year and all the customs, celebrations and traditions that go with it. This Saturday, the boys and I walked over to Chinatown to see the Lion Dance. We have seen the dance before, but not during the time of the Chinese NewYear.

It was amazing!

When we got to Chinatown, we were not quite sure where to find the dancers, but then we heard the tell-tale cymbals, gongs and drums and knew right where to go. We were lucky because they were just beginning their dance. We followed them to their first "stop," where they performed a dance and the search for the greens (see below). Shop owners must (I'm guessing) request or pay money to have the lion stop at their store to scare away the evil spirits and bring good fortune for the new year. These dancers work hard! So hard they have to switch dancers after each shop to give them a break. I think we watched the lion dance at three stores and then we headed home.

The Costume

The lion costume itself is beautiful and intricate. Most lion costumes have to be made specially and imported from China. The lion we saw (below) is a "southern style" lion. The lion has bright, wide eyes. The head is shaped like a dragon and has a drape that covers the dancers. It has either two or four legs. The costumes usually have the colours red for bravery, green for friendship and goodwill and gold for lively spirit. The lion expresses joy and happiness and summons good luck and good fortune. As the lion dances it thrusts its head to the sound of drums, gongs and cymbals.

I am sure this photo doesn't do the costume justice, but it is good enough to get an idea of what it looked like. Last time we saw the dance, Tucker was horrified! This time he started off really excited, then got scared and then liked it again. He has been asking to see it again ever since. Coop loved it and was mesmorised, but it was really hot out and he doesn't do well in the heat.

I could have watched all day.

Search for the Greens

During the dance, the lion will "search for the greens." The greens are typically a head of lettuce that is suspended from a ceiling or doorway. The lion dancers must perform a lift to reach them. Once the lion has eaten the greens, they are thrown toward the crowd to represent wealth and good fortune. Inside the greens, there is often a red envelope with money. This is an offering of good luck and a reward for the lion for chasing away the evil spirits.

Watching the lion get the greens is so cool. It does not just reach up and grab it. It goes up and down with the music, each time getting a little closer and the music gets more intense. Finally, when it does reach the greens, it takes it down and eats it and the whole crowd cheers! People follow the dancers as they make their way through town.