April 15, 2023! The Auckland Dragon Festival, which makes New Zealand Chinese proud, is here
The dragon is a well-known mascot in China.
For thousands of years, the sons and daughters of China have placed countless good wishes on it. In ancient times, the dragon represented auspiciousness, justice, prosperity and strength. To the Chinese all over the world, dragons are both familiar and strange, both intimate and mysterious.
In the traditional festivals of the Chinese, the dragon is also an indispensable image.
In the folklore, there is a custom of "dancing dragon lanterns during the Spring Festival", people dance dragons and pray for rain during the Spring Festival, with the intention of praying for smooth weather and rain in the coming year, and the safety of the people of Guotai.
In the second month of the lunar calendar, many people will get a haircut on the day of "February 2, the dragon raises its head", which marks a good start to the year, the arrival of spring, and the recovery of all things.
More familiar to the Chinese is undoubtedly the Dragon Boat Festival, on this day, the global Chinese will race dragon boats, dance dragons, eat rice dumplings, to commemorate Qu Yuan, but also to pray for all the best and all the peace.
As a totem of Chinese culture, the dragon is contained in various folk customs and festivals, and has been brought by the Chinese to all over the world, including New Zealand.
Here, the titles of "descendants of the dragon" and "descendants of the dragon" still make us overseas Chinese excited and proud!
On April 15th, Tomeilu, which has the title of "Chinatown" in Auckland, ushered in the second "Dragon Festival" belonging to the Chinese in New Zealand!
The event is co-organised by the City of Auckland, Albert Eden Regional Council and the Dormerus Chinese Chamber of Commerce, among others.
This year, let's take a look at what surprises this exclusive festival for New Zealand Chinese people to celebrate traditional culture has brought us.
Check out this year's Dragon Festival highlights:
Fancy Chinese snacks
As the saying goes, the people take food as the sky.
On this Saturday, there are a variety of snacks for sale at Tomei Road, with more than 40 stalls!
Milk tea, barbecue, Taiwanese cuisine, Malaysian cuisine, ice cream... The food loved by Chinese people all over the world gathers in Duomei Road, making people feel the charm of Chinese food!
Lion and dragon dance
When it comes to Chinese festivals, dragon and lion dances are essential programs.
At Saturday's "Dragon Festival", Tomei Road staged a large-scale dragon and lion dance performance with the participation of Auckland's top dragon and lion dance team!
Accompanied by loud music, the audience can feel the majestic, mysterious, and powerful atmosphere; When the dragon head is raised high in the dance and the streamers are spit out in the mouth, it brings infinite joy and blessings!
Whether it is a dragon dance or a lion dance, it is a treasure of traditional Chinese culture. They are not only a form of performance, but also a cultural inheritance and expression, expressing the wisdom, creativity and courage of the Chinese nation through dance.
Hanfu parade
This "Dragon Festival" also added a Hanfu parade, where young ladies and sisters dressed in beautiful and beautiful costumes followed the dragon and lion dances and shuttled on Tomei Road.
Traditional culture and modern fashion are combined, and the ancient style and costumes are as elegant as clouds. Through thousands of years, history is recreated. Following the parade, I believe that participants can also feel the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture.
A splendid cultural stage
On the Domei Road of the Dragon Festival, the cultural stage of the "Domei Road Dragon Festival" was set up, and a performance full of Chinese elements was staged!
In this "Duomei Road Dragon Festival", the multi-element activities carefully prepared by the organizer allowed all the Chinese participating to truly experience the festive atmosphere of the Dragon Festival and feel the charm of Chinese culture in the laughter!