As the islands of Hawai‘i are home to diverse individuals from all different cultures, hundreds gathered in Chinatown to celebrate the Year of the Horse on Saturday. Amid the celebrations of Valentine’s Day, the Lunar New Year was a highly popular event on O‘ahu, as people of all backgrounds came together to celebrate for the 50th consecutive year.
“The horse symbolizes strength, energy, and perseverance — qualities that reflect our community’s spirit,” said Leonard Kam, president of Chinatown 808, in a news release about the event. “We are proud to celebrate 50 years of tradition and invite everyone to join us in welcoming a prosperous new year.”
The event had activities for all ages. There were bouncy houses, a Keiki fun zone, craft booths, lion and dragon performances, and a material arts demonstration. At A‘ala park, a petting zoo with ponies and donkeys attracted participants. Large displays of blow-up dragons and live music kept people entertained throughout the duration of the event that lasted all day.
The most exciting of the festivities was the parade. The parade consisted of over 300 marchers, 20 vehicles and two bands, according to the news release. People of all ages, genders, ethnicities danced, marched, waved flags and embraced culture.
(Kayda Pierce)
Many individuals at the event wore ornamental, traditional attire, blending modern city settings with cultural heritage. They moved gracefully through the streets as the crowd took many pictures.
“I feel like a lot of people are scared to dress up, but I think it’s fun!” said Zoe Townsend, who wore a red Chinese dress to watch the parade. “It promotes the Chinese and people from other countries embracing their own cultures.”
The Junior Chamber international program provided volunteers for the sizable event. Sarah Lou, the past president of the Honolulu JCs, explained how the program helps young adults learn life long lessons about leadership, service and civic engagement.
The collectiveness of individuals was a reminder to embrace the diversity throughout O‘ahu and share new cultures.
“It’s nice to see people so involved in the Chinese Community because we have such a big Chinese community here in Hawai‘i,” said Lou. “This doesn’t just involve Chinese, people from all cultures, we have Filipinos, Hawaiians, Japanese all participating and being able to share our culture is meaningful and special.”
