The Lunar New Year, or the spring festival, as it is often referred to, is one of the most important celebrations in East and Southasian culture. Centered around the moon, it draws luck, honor and community to those who celebrate.
This year, Capital University’s Asian American Alliance celebrated its 10th Lunar New Year with the campus community. As Covid-19 has put a damper on the festivities for the past two years, this new year celebration was a shining light in the club and brought some hope for future events.
I went into the event with a smile and left with an even bigger one. The event was beautiful, and special as someone who has never celebrated the occasion before. A quiet, comforting atmosphere filled the Gloria Dei Worship Center inside Trinity Lutheran Seminary as the audience awaited the first performance.
The Capital Taiko Ensemble kicked off the festivities with a literal bang, performing intricate and steady traditional drumming. The movements made as they transitioned to each position were precise and swift, keeping the audience captivated and entranced.
The next group of performers, The Ohio State University Oriental Dance Troupe, gave the same elegance and beauty as the Taiko players. Lovely and colorful cultural dresses and sweeping dance moves told a story of beauty and grace hidden in the spring festival. It truly was a memorable and enchanting performance.
Downstairs in Koinonia, food and other festivities were set up. We were seated by the animals of each year: snake, rabbit, rat and so forth.
Take-home meals catered by Bexley’s own ZenCha Tea Salon were given to attendees.
A presentation was given on the real impact not only Lunar New Year, but the Asian American Alliance had as a whole on students from these cultures.
The group started as one person who wanted community, and then slowly but surely gained many others looking for the same community of similar people to share their culture with. Founding members who have long since graduated were in attendance, giving testimony to how impactful the club has been.
Sydney Crothers, current president of Asian American Alliance, shared some insight.
When asked about how others could get into the celebration (which lasts fifteen days) Crothers said, “People can come to other AAA events, supporting the organization and sharing in the celebration.”
The 10th Lunar New Year event provided knowledge not only about the culture, but also the impact that it’s had on Capital students.
Asian American Alliance truly does give a safe place to students who want to meet people who have had similar upbringings and lives together. It also gives students who have not experienced these cultures a chance to ask questions and view the beauty of significant events
