Celebrating Spring Festival the African way, spreading warmth

By LUCIE MORANGI in Nairobi, Kenya

Spring Festival, also known as Lunar New Year, is one of the most important annual events for Chinese people living in South Africa.

"It is a time to spread warmth, culture, understanding and knowledge," said Erwin Pon, chairman of the Chinese Association of Gauteng. As the oldest group of its kind in South Africa, it was established in 1903 and is based in Johannesburg.

As is now tradition, the Chinese community will hold a variety of celebrations across the country. Large street parties will be held in the largest and oldest Chinatown quarters in South Africa－those in Cyrildene and Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.

"The streets, for that evening, are specially closed off and once you enter, you will find Chinese food stalls selling all sorts of wonderful and traditional food. There is a lot of entertainment, with kung fu displays, traditional dancing, singing, the lion and dragon dances, and of course, to cap off a great evening, there is a spectacular fireworks show to ward off the evil spirits and any bad luck," said Pon.

The celebrations will blend cultures by incorporating traditional indigenous songs and dances.

In the recent past, China and South Africa have strengthened their bilateral relations. Cultural events have been held in both countries to advance people-to-people exchanges.

"The cultural exchanges have been a useful platform to extend knowledge and understanding between different ethnic groups. I believe Spring Festival has become a global phenomenon, and Africans understand and celebrate it too," Pon said.

Since the festival is not recognized as a public holiday in South Africa, the celebrations are held over the weekend. Pon said the local Chinese community, about 400,000 people in total, take the opportunity to celebrate their ancient traditions, which have been passed down since their ancestors settled in the country in the early 20th century.

"We do not take it for granted, but cherish everything," said Pon, who is also the business development director for East Asia and Southeast Asia at Rand Merchant Bank.

"All in all, it is a time for families to be together, to enjoy each other's company, to reflect on the past year and to welcome in the New Year."

"Furthermore, the first Sunday of the new year, many families travel to the Nan Hua Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, a town 50 kilometers east of Pretoria. The temple holds an annual celebration where the Buddhist ritual of ushering in the New Year is performed," Pon added.