LIHU‘E — “Kung Hei Fat Choi” was the common greeting Monday, or Chinese New Year.
Lopaka Bukoski, the educational coordinator at the Kaua‘i Museum, said the museum will celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Dragon on at 10 a.m. Feb. 3 during its monthly ‘Ohana Day program.
“We’re planning on having some of the traditional foods, some tai chi demonstrations, Chinese-style art and maybe a lion dance,” Bukoski said. “I have some pa-ke, or Chinese in my lineage, so I cannot forget this event.”
The Kaua‘i Museum on Monday unveiled its Chinese exhibit, which will be on display through Feb. 26.
The public also can view some of the unique and historic artifacts during the ‘Ohana Day program which features free admission, although donations are encouraged.
A porcelain gazebo which served as the inspiration for the gazebo situated on the campus of Kaua‘i Community College is one of the artifacts. The gazebo was donated to the museum by the Chinese Historical Society on the occasion of the Chinese bicentennial in 1988, said Chris Faye, the museum’s curator.
“We have a lot of things upstairs, and this is just part of it,” Faye said. “I got the exhibit completed in time for the Chinese New Year.”
The Chinese New Year remains the most important social and economic holiday in China, states the History.com website. Originally tied to the lunar-solar Chinese calendar, the holiday was a time to honor household and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors, bringing families together for feasts.
Monday welcomed the Year of the Dragon. During the 15-day Chinese New Year period ending with the full moon, Chinese people visit friends and relatives, and New Year greetings are given to each other.
“Everything is about luck,” Faye said, pointing out some of the embroidered borders on a silk jacket created in the 1890s that belonged to her great-grandmother.
“This has the symbol of the dragon, which is considered lucky.”
Contrary to popular Western literature that considers a dragon a demon to be slain, Eastern culture considers the dragon a symbol of good fortune and intense power, according to the International Business Times website.
Jane Gray, the museum’s director, was busy finalizing plans for the ‘Ohana Day with Bukoski and Faye, noting she needed to find out more about the traditional foods.
Chinese New Year foods are very important to the Chinese people, the China Highlights website states. All family members come together to eat traditional foods.
Chinese dumplings, fish, spring rolls and nian gao, or rice cake, are eaten at this time. Long noodles are considered one of the 10 Good Luck Foods for the Chinese New Year, according to chow.com. In addition to noodles, tangerines and oranges are eaten to bring wealth and luck.
