Lunar New Year

"To experience something that is outside order and ordinary-- which we can call the extraordinary." (Dissanayake, 134)

 I'm sure many of us have had numerous extraordinary experiences, many being in a ritualistic form. We all have traditions and festivities we celebrate with our family and friends. Whether its making Santa Clause a BLT sandwich instead of cookies on Christmas Eve or going to opening day at Angel Stadium, everyone has rituals of their own.

 My favorite ritual is a festival that I enjoy with my family every year, the Lunar NewYear Festival (aka Chinese New Year). We belong to an organization called Families with Children from China (FCC), which is an organization mad up of American families who have adopted children from China. For the past 8 years, since my sister, Julie, was adopted, we have attended FCC's Lunar New Year Festival in Los Angeles' Chinatown.

LA Chinatown

Chinatown itself is an aesthetic experience. We usually arrive early and are able to walk around the shops and bakeries that fill Chinatown. It's always fascinating to me that in the middle of LA, this whole other world is waiting to be explored.

Dragon Dancers

After were done browsing, we heard into the restaurant, which is quickly filling up with other families. Eventually, we find our table and chat with the families we're sitting with. As dinner starts to come out, the entertainment begins. It's always great to watch the Dragon dancers, acrobats and musicians. The food is also really remarkable, a classic family style chinese dinner, which always has a little something for everyone.

Chinese acrobats

The element that really makes this ritual extraordinary for me is the coming together of the various families. Everyone in attendance is there for the same reason -- to celebrate being multi-cultural families. When a family has multiple cultures represented, it's important to celebrate each culture. We've never had to hide the fact Julie is adopted, (for one thing, she's chinese and we're caucasian, so there's a physical difference) rather we embrace it! For that reason alone, it's extraordinary that so many families can come together and share that experience with one another. The FCC website even agrees with me, "Being in the room provides a wonderful visual for our kids and parents alike – we are part of an amazing community of adoptive families." 

Julie with the Dragon Dancer head and other children

For my family and me, attending the FCC's Lunar New Year Festival is a ritualistic experience that can truly be deemed extraordinary.

-Holly

Julie and me at the 2008 Lunar New Year Festival

Sources:

Dissanayake, Ellen. What is Art for? 1988. Print.

http://www.fccsocal.org/programs/new-year-banquet

http://www.inetours.com/Los_Angeles/Images/Chinatown/951-NB_Gate_7356.jpg

http://www.triniview.com/Chinese_Bicentennial/081006.html

http://newsroom.mohegansun.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/PinkPyramid-300x240.jpg