When one thinks of Awakening Chinatown, what may first come to mind is the colourful, striking image of the Lion Dancers and the Dotting of the Eyes ceremony.
But Grace Sneddon, the board chair for the Victoria Chinese Museum Society, which is producing the festival, will tell you there is a lot more to it.
First, itB次元官网网址檚 about becoming grounded and setting the right intentions. Sneddon said the Dotting of the Eyes ceremony is so you can hear, speak and see clearly.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about having good intentions with a good heart.B次元官网网址�
Then, itB次元官网网址檚 about taking in the spectacles, experiencing interactive arts, and delving into ChinatownB次元官网网址檚 impressive 160-year history while looking to its future.
Last year, the third annual festival had around 6,000 visitors.
One popular part was the calligraphy workshop, Sneddon said. B次元官网网址淚t was packed.B次元官网网址�
Genevieve Thompson, who managed the calligraphy last year, added that it engaged all ages. B次元官网网址淚t was very special to watch Chinese parents teaching their children how to hold the brush as they had been taught.B次元官网网址�
The art form is done with Chinese brush pens and ink and can be very inner-centering, Sneddon said.
B次元官网网址淚n Chinese culture, itB次元官网网址檚 also supposed to reveal the kind of person you are,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f your brush strokes are all jerky, or youB次元官网网址檙e messy for instance, people can see that.B次元官网网址�
Other festival attractions this year include vocal performances, drumming, magicians, and fortune-telling in the oldest temple in Canada on Government Street.
B次元官网网址淩eal fortune telling, not just the play stuff,B次元官网网址� said Sneddon.
But one of the grand highlights will be the closing performance by Victoria Chinese Opera Club, who will be singing in Mandarin, Japanese, German, French and English from the balcony of 541 Fisgard St. The building itself is significant, as itB次元官网网址檚 where descendants of Lee Mong Kow B次元官网网址� a very prominent figure and one of the first English translators in Victoria B次元官网网址� used to live.
Lion dancers will be performing in the streets below.
B次元官网网址淭he first time we did it, there were people crying in the streets because it was so cool. ItB次元官网网址檚 beautiful,B次元官网网址� Sneddon said.
She also added that they mix in traditional and contemporary performances. For instance, House of Rice, VancouverB次元官网网址檚 first all-Asian drag house will return this year.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important we reach out to other younger Asians so that they can reclaim their pride in their Asian identity as well. We also want to be very mindful of all the intersectionalities of identity,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎lso to help teach our senior Asian members that weB次元官网网址檙e growing, and we can be in a good way, even if itB次元官网网址檚 a bit different from what theyB次元官网网址檙e used to.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 all part of Victoria Chinatown Museum SocietyB次元官网网址檚 mandate to broaden awareness of and celebrate Chinese culture in Greater Victoria, while aiming for an eventual permanent museum.
Awakening Chinatown commemorates Asian Heritage Month and takes place on Sunday, May 26 from noon to 5:30 p.m. Learn more at .
