Firecrackers, lion dances usher in Lunar New Year

Time-honored festivities ushering in the Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, rolled into action Monday in a tapestry of rich and colorful customs and practices among the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans on Saipan.

The Chinese Association of Saipan was at the forefront of yesterday’s celebration, organizing special lion dance performances that are believed to bring luck and prosperity to business establishments throughout the island.

Spectators at various locations were in a festive mood, enjoying the colorful presentation of the Chinese Association dancers who put on the gold and silver lion-head costumes as they spun and twirled to the jangling beat of drums and cymbals.

The traditional lion dances were coupled with thunderous firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. At the Hyatt Regency Saipan in Garapan, the lion dancers were riveting as they gyrated near lit firecrackers that were strung all the way up to the ceiling.

Hyatt general manager Nick Nishikawa said it’s been a tradition at the hotel to invite the lion dancers and light up firecrackers, and this year is especially meaningful because of the dragon year. “The lion dance brings us hope for a better, more stable year filled with peace and good health for us,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Michael Umali, Sablan Topline Co.’s housekeeping supervisor for Hyatt, said he joins the fireworks celebration at the hotel but at home, his family observes quieter Lunar New Year traditions such as preparing sweet and sticky delicacies, which symbolize unity.

“There’s nothing wrong if you follow what the Chinese have been doing for centuries. I believe anyone can have good luck as long as you believe and pray,” he added.

At the Canton Restaurant in Garapan, which was filled with diners, the lion dancers made their way inside the kitchen and dining area where customers “fed” the lions with red money envelope, called hong bao, for good luck.

Guam resident Anna Lansangan, who is on island with her children and mother-in-law, said the Chinese New Year festivities are a welcome bonus for her family on their weeklong visit. When asked how they will celebrate the propitious occasion, she replied: “We plan to eat Chinese food!”

James Ban, a Chinese national who has been on island for 19 years, said he always hopes to have a better year each New Year.

For this New Year, Lani Xu Carlson made sure that her 6-year-old daughter Angela would learn more about her Chinese roots by being with friends and enjoying traditional food even after the stroke of midnight on Monday.

“She enjoyed the food, the colorful fireworks, and the company of our friends in welcoming the New Year,” said Carlson.

Like many others, Carlson remains optimistic that the Year of the Dragon will bring a better economy to achieve the long-awaited progress in the CNMI. “We all know that last year was not good, so hopefully, we will see improvements this year.”