We were very fortunate to have the Lion Dance Troupe from the Chung Wah Society come and perform for the ELC today. The Lion Dance, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune, is very common in Chinese culture and other Asian countries. The Lion Dance is usually performed during Chinese New Year and other Chinese traditional, cultural, and religious festivals, although it may also be performed at other important occasions such as business opening events, special celebrations, or wedding ceremonies, or may be used to honour special guests by Chinese communities.
One of our own Year 9 students, Lukas Small, is involved with the Lion Dance Troupe. He was in the head, partnered with Joseph Tjung in the base of the lion for the performance for ELC. The troupe consisted of volunteers, who ranged from school or university students, to people who work full-time therefore we were very thankful for the team to come out on a weekday to perform for our students.
The children and staff were very excited to see the lion dance. It was quite loud for some, but most children embraced it. There was the lion, and the music consisted of the drum accompanied by cymbals and a gong.
“We hope to raise cultural awareness within the classrooms to promote global mindedness.”
The benefits of living in a multicultural community like Darwin means that we can expose our children to many rich and exciting experiences, so they have the opportunity of learning from their peers and families in the area about celebrations, festivals and day-to-day differences such as food clothing, and customs.
