The year of the Pig kicked o Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the Lunar New Year Festival in the Com- munity Life Lounge with tradi- tional Chinese and Korean per- formances, food and activities.
Community Life and the International Center at California Baptist University teamed up to host the event, celebrating the Lunar New Year by expressing different cultures on multiple levels.
The event had much to offer, and attendees who completed a stamp card by participating in different activities at the various culture stations received free boba tea.
The stations included Chinese and Korean calligraphy name writing, Chinese lantern making and paper cutting, as well as a photo booth and games including Chinese jump rope and Jianzi.
Kengkue Her |
Sophomores Christopher Rupp, mechanical engineering major, and Spencer Maynard, political science major, work together to cut out a paper lantern.
Kengkue Her |
Caleb Lee, sophomore business major, receives his name written in Korean at California Baptist
University’s Lunar New Year Festival, hosted by the International Center.
Food offered at the event included traditional chicken potstickers and ramen.
Students performed traditional Chinese and Korean songs, K-pop dances and solo violin pieces.
Kengkue Her |
Performers prepare to begin a traditional Chinese dance.
Amber (Ji In) Kim, a first- year master of social work student, sang a duet and said she greatly enjoyed the opportunity to share her Korean culture.
“I am so grateful I got to represent and share my culture through an art form I really love, which is singing and music. I also enjoyed performing as I had the honor of making others who came here from Korea and had never been to cam- pus or the states feel somewhat at home,” Kim said.
“As an international student who has been in the States for such a long time, I know what it feels like to miss your home to a greater degree than others, so I loved bringing my home to other international students,” Kim said.
The Shaolin Temple Kung Fu School performed the traditional Lion and Dragon dance at the festival that engaged students in the historic art of Chinese dance.
Sophia Siemens, junior con- struction management major, said the event helped showcase one of CBU’s mantras — to be globally minded.
“I had a couple friends who performed and it’s a great way for them to show us their culture and the elements of it that they enjoy being a part of. Hosting cultural events shows that we are aware of the cultures around the world and allows us to begin to learn more about them in a fun environment,” Siemens said.
Kristin Holderman, director of campus activities, said that the purpose of these cultural events is to unify the diverse community at CBU.
“Community Life’s mission in all we do is to provide purposeful co-curricular programming for students that enhances their CBU experience. This event specifically is in alignment with our mission and our desire for students to have unique and diverse experiences,” Holderman said.
The Lunar New Year festival provided an opportunity for CBU students of all cultural backgrounds to celebrate the beautiful and traditional holiday by becoming fully immersed in Asian culture through multiple fun activities and performances.
