新年快乐！Sharing my Chinese culture

新年快乐！(Happy New Year!) Today is the Lunar New Year; the year of the snake (蛇) according to the Chinese horoscope.

Part of this year living out here in Newfoundland is learning about this province's people and culture, but at the same time, it is also about sharing my culture with them. Even though almost all the towns I've been to across Canada have at least one Chinese restaurant (towns of at least 3,000 inhabitants), the Canadians who do not live in the urban centres of Canada in fact know very little about the Chinese culture, or food for that matter! (Chicken balls are not Chinese, but Chinese-Canadian, and even so, the only thing Chinese about them is that it is made and served by Chinese at restaurants. )

Over the next week, I will invite my students to join me in my festivities. They will learn about the New Year legend, song, dances, tradition, greetings, and even try some New Year sweets! Here is a collection of video clips I have compiled for my students about Chinese New Year. For an English summary of the video, please refer to the description below.

Summary of Chinese New Year celebrations
Date:
This year the Lunar New Year falls on February 10th, 2013. This date changes every year, because the Chinese follow the lunar calendar. It wasn't until around 1929 that China finally started using the Gregorian calendar, and even then, the Gregorian calendar was more for business purposes, and the festivals continued to use the lunar calendar.

Horoscope year:
2013 is the year of the snake (蛇). Snakes have a calm characteristic, so this year will be a quite year of introspection, reflection and getting in touch with the inner you.

New Year legend:
Why do Chinese celebrate the new year with red, lion dance and firecrackers? The legend goes that there once was a monster called "Nian" (年) who terrorized the villagers, because that's what monsters do best. The people thought hard and long on how to ward off the horrible 年. Finally someone noticed that 年 was afraid of things that were more ferocious than him, namely, the colour red, fire and loud noises. Hence, at the beginning of each year, the Chinese decorate their homes with red, light paper lanterns, and hold a lion dance with the sounds of cymbals clashing, and drums beating. A final chain of red firecrackers is lite to banish the 年 away until the next year.

New Year song:
In English-speaking countries, people start the new year singing "Auld Lang Syne" which is a Scotish poem talking of the good times. The Chinese also have a new year song, titled Gong Xi Gong Xi (恭喜恭喜) which translates to congratulations.

Gifts:
Instead of giving gifts, Chinese usually give gifts of money in red good luck envelops. Also, it is those who are established and married that give money, and those who are unmarried receive the envelops. ;)
 


 

Mummers

Mummering is a Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas tradition where the mummers - people disguised- visit their friends' homes during the twelve days of Christmas from Christmas day to Jan 6th, old Christmas day. It turns out mummering was an old English tradition which Newfoundlanders have kept and made into its own.

Three dancing mummers

Newfoundland mummers always have their heads covered, and are often found wearing clothing in odd ways such as mitts on the feet and socks on the hands, boots on the wrong feet, underwear on top of clothing, clothing stuffed with material, and men as women, and women as men.

The mummers visits their friends unannounced in the small out port communities, or pre-alerted by a non-participating friend for the city dwellers. The friends then have to try and guess the identities of the disguised mummers. If the friends fail to correctly guess the identity of the mummer, they will have to reward the mummer with some Screech rum or Purity maple syrup if the mummer doesn't drink alcohol. Of course since it is Christmas time, and is a season of festivities, there is always a lot of singing and dancing and cake eating.

To see what mummering looks like, here is a song recorded in by Simani called the Mummer Song and later incorporated into the CBC Newfoundland and Labrador television series "The Land and Sea" in 1986. The Land and Sea episode with the Mummer Song is still aired by CBC every Christmas Day as part of the Christmas tradition in Newfoundland.



 

Remembrance Day reflection with music from Newfoundlander Terry Kelly paying tribute to the fallen

Today is Remembrance Day. A couple of days ago, my mind was on anything but remembering about the significance of the day when I was thinking to this year’s Remembrance Day. I remembering thinking, "too bad the stores will probably be closed this Sunday". I have a 5h wait in Halifax before my connection flight to Charlottetown - there is a Mountain Equipment Co-op in Halifax. Now in with time to kill at the airport, I finally reflect on this day. My boarding pass which reads 11:10 am also serves as a reminder of the 11^th hour to come. I wonder if the Stanfield airport will do something to acknowledge this day.

Terry Kelly, a popular country singer from St-John’s, Newfoundland wrote a song about needing to remember those who served in the war for the “peace” we are privileged with. The song is titled “A Pittance of Time” and here is the description from his official website explaining the motivation for his song.

“On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o’clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry’s anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channelled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time.”

The official video clip and lyrics to this song are below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo&feature=share&list=PL5BC94E21F6EF3DB8

  

A Pittance of Time

Written by: Terry Kelly

Published by :Jefter Publishing

They fought and some died for their homeland

They fought and some died now it’s our land

Look at his little child, there’s no fear in her eyes

Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?

It’s a pittance of time

For the boys and the girls who went over

In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.

It’s a pittance of time

God forgive me for wanting to strike him

Give me strength so as not to be like him

My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips

My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists

But two minutes I will bide

It’s a pittance of time

For the boys and the girls who went over

In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.

It’s a pittance of time

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home

They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own

There’s a price to be paid if you go, if you stay

Freedom is fought for and won in numerous ways

Take two minutes would you mind?

It’s a pittance of time

For the boys and the girls all over

May we never forget our young become vets

At the end of the line it’s a pittance of time

It takes courage to fight in your own war

It takes courage to fight someone else’s war

Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell

They bring hope to foreign lands that the hatemongers can’t kill.

Take two minutes, would you mind?

It’s a pittance of time

For the boys and the girls who go over

In peacetime our best still don battle dress

And lay their lives on the line.

It’s a pittance of time

In Peace may they rest, lest we forget why they died.

Take a pittance of time

As I ponder more into my reflection, I realized despite having just attended a Remembrance Day assembly this Friday in school, and despite all the years of Remembrance Day assemblies and ceremonies, I don’t have a profound notion of what war and peace means.

Truthfully, I don’t have a strong nor profound impression of Remembrance Day other than constantly losing my poppy, the poem “In Flanders Field” and the solitary sound of the trumpet or bugle from the “Last Post” and “The Rouse”. It was only today when I went on Wiki did I learn more about these two pieces of music.  These two pieces were tunes used in the British Commonwealth military, the “Last Post” to signal the end of the day and “The Rouse” to arouse the solider and get them ready for a new day after waking. The bugle is the original instrument used in the army instead of a trumpet, as it is one of the simplest of the brass instruments and it has no values. I did not know that a “First Post” is played to mark the beginning of the inspection of the fallen to verify that all of those out in the field are indeed dead and not unconscious or in a coma. “Last Post” was to close the military day to indicate that the post has been verified. The “Last Post” also serves to signal to those who were still out on the field wounded or separated that the fighting was done for the day, and to guide them the way to safety if they followed the tune. At night vigil ceremonies, the “Last Post” is used to start the period of silence for the slain to let them rest and not be mutilated, despoiled (by the enemy), or dragged off (by scavengers) during the night. The playing of “The Rouse” in ceremonies symbolize a new day, a future with hope.

Here is a Remembrance day clip with both the “Last Post” and “The Rouse” with a moment of silence.   

Newfoundland music

Sticking to the music theme, I will use this post to introduce some popular Newfoundland songs. I have compiled a short YouTube playlist of 14 songs which I hope will give you a taste of the music here, and for those who have time, many of these videos also come with great visuals; footage and photographs of the province.





Of this playlist, number 1, 2, and 5 are worth mentioning. Number one is titled "Salt Water Joys", and number two "Grey Foggy Days" are probably the two song which most Newfies speak of when asked for a hallmark Newfoundland song. Number five is Newfoundland's official provincial anthem- the "Ode to Newfoundland". "Salt Water Joys" is written by Wayne Chaulk and is a song celebrating Newfoundland-the beauty of the land, the pride and heritage, the simple way of life, the sense of intimacy and community-invoking the spirit of home. "Grey Foggy Day" is written by Eddie Coffey makes references to fishing, working long periods away from home and returning home to loved ones. These songs fall into the genre of folk and country. The guitar, fiddle and accordion are common instruments in this style.    
Here are the lyrics to the Ode of Newfoundland. (#5 on the music playlist.) 
Ode of Newfoundland

The flag of former Republic of Newfoundland.

The provincial flag of Newfoundland since joining Canada.

The Ode to Newfoundland; however is neither folk nor country, but has a more processional feel to it, as it was composed as an anthem back in 1902 for Newfoundland when it was a still a self-governing dominion of Britain. And now for a brief history interlude. Did you know that Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949, making it the last of the current provinces to join? Prior to 1949, the last time that a province joined the confederation was before the two world wars in 1905 - Alberta and Saskatchewan- finally uniting the East of Canada with its western confederate state, British Colombia. Most of the confederation activity took place in a five year period between 1867 to 1973. After than initial period, there was a significant time gap (25 years) before more states joined Canada. Yukon joined 25 years after the last of the activity in 1973, and seven years later, Alberta and Saskatchewan would finally join. It was another 44 years before Newfoundland joined Canada. Could this prolonged "independence" for a lack of better word and its relatively recent union with Canada be some of the factors which explain Newfoundland's current strong exhibition of culture and identity?


By: Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle

When sun rays crown thy pine clad hills,
And summer spreads her hand,
When silvern voices tune thy rills,
We love thee, smiling land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee, smiling land.

When spreads thy cloak of shimmering white,
At winter's stern command,
Thro' shortened day, and starlit night,
We love thee, frozen land.
We love thee, we love thee
We love thee, frozen land.

When blinding storm gusts fret thy shore,
And wild waves lash thy strand,
Thro' spindrift swirl, and tempest roar,
We love thee windswept land.
We love thee, we love thee
We love thee windswept land.

As loved our fathers, so we love,
Where once they stood, we stand;
Their prayer we raise to Heaven above,
God guard thee, Newfoundland
God guard thee, God guard thee,
God guard thee, Newfoundland.

The Ugly Stick

The ugly stick: with such a name, those not familiar with this stick can only smirk at its name and wonder about its intended purpose. What were the first things which came to your mind?

The ugly stick is a traditional Newfoundland percussion instrument. It is usually made from a mop handle or any unused stick lying around the house. Fixed along various lengths of the stick are nails threaded with beer bottle caps to give the jingling sound when shaken, tapped, or stomped to the group. At the base of the stick, some may sport an old rubber boot, or other unneeded footwear to give the stick a nice large surface for stomping the ground. Since it is called an ugly stick, people have fun and get creative in decorating the stick; adding heads and additional noise making objects.

At the Iceberg Lounge with one full size and one mini ugly stick.
This photo captures my failed attempt at toe and heel tapping. 

Ugly sticks are brought out at parties when there are singing and music making.  It is easy to use, fool proof, and with such a curiously humble name, anyone, even the untrained musician would be tempted to pick it up, give it a wiggle, a tap tap here, and a stomp stomp there. Before long. they will too be getting their groove on.

Here is a video of the ugly stick on action at a house party.