Year of the Monkey Celebration Draws Guests from Varied Ethnic Backgrounds
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
Guests came from a variety of sectors. President Ken Tseng brought greetings from the Chinese Benevolent Association. Saskatoon's Mayor Don Atchison was accompanied by Mayor Douglas L. Faulkner from Alberta's Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. MLA's Ken Cheveldayoff and Ted Merriman represented the Saskatchewan Party. Also in attendance were delegates from CTV, the Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition Corporation, Saskatchewan Home-Based Business Association, and Saskatoon Indian & Metis Friendship Centre.
Although she had a prior commitment, M.P. for Vancouver-Kingsway Sophia Leung sent greetings. She wrote, "As the first Asian-Canadian woman elected to Parliament, I hope that I can serve as an example that irrespective of where we come from, the possibilities for success in Canada are endless. I am proud of my Chinese heritage [and] to share the good will and joy in celebration [of] the Lunar New Year across Canada."
The Saskatoon celebration followed the New Year tradition of serving plenty of food and drink. Although guests lost track, there were at least a dozen delicious entrees, from barbecued duck to bird's nests to Peking style pork. Accompanying it all was the staple steamed rice and, for dessert, sweet lotus paste balls.
The day does not always fall on January 22, but coincides with the second new moon after winter solstice (December 21). This means new year's day might fall in January or February. The Chinese lunar calendar's animals are, in order, the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar and have been adopted by the Japanese and Koreans.
The calendar runs a 60-year cycle in 12 year segments. So this year, as in 1992 and 1980, the Monkey reigns. Birth year is said to influence the personality. If you are born in the Year of the Monkey, you will be intelligent, influential, a good politician, and have a thirst for knowledge. You will be talented and inventive but perhaps easily discouraged. You get along best with a Dragon or a Rat, but Tigers spell trouble.
The Chinese recognize two birthdays - one on the day of their birth and one on New Year's Day. This means that a baby born on New Year's Eve celebrates his first birthday the very next day. To dispel confusion about the double "birthday," when asked his age at a later date the child might reply, "I was born in the Year of the Monkey."
New Year's Day is a day of family and forgiveness, said Mark. "We are all one family, whether enemy or friend, and on New Year's Day, we come together and all become friends again. We start a new year," he said.