Chinese Dragon dance
TriniView.com Article
October 08, 2006
The Chinese presence in Trinidad and Tobago may be small, but their contribution to the development of the country cannot be ignored. They came to the shores of Trinidad as early as 1806, or as some argue, as late as 1853-54. The Chinese immigrants toiled, though briefly, in the canfields for the procurement of sugar and it's byproducts. The Chinese quickly migrated to the towns to establish businesses and have remained there ever since. Although they are a largely invisible force, especially because of their small numbers, the Chinese made it their duty to show the country that despite being a part of general Trinbagonian and Western culture, they have still managed to retain some of their Chinese heritage. On Friday 6th October, 2006, the Chinese Bicentennial Committee did just that and showcased Chinese culture by parading through Charlotte Street and by putting on a show at the Brian Lara Promenade.
Although the event was a day to commemorate the Chinese presence in Trinidad and Tobago many Africans, Indians and mixed race persons assisted in the parade. In fact, most of the participants in the day's proceedings were of non-Chinese descent. It seemed as though many of Trinidad's Chinese residents preferred to spectate rather than participate in the display of their indigenous culture. In any case, the audience was filled with hundreds of onlookers who were curious to get a taste of Chinese culture.
After the journey to the Brian Lara Promenade was complete, members of the Pacific Lion Troupe, the Chinese Bicentennial Committee, supporters of the Chinese bicentennial event and curious onlookers were treated to a formal show which began with the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China followed by the National Anthem of Trinidad and Tobago played by the Chinese Bicentennial Steel Ensemble.
The Chairman of the Chinese Bicentennial Committee, Dr. David Picou, began by greeting and welcoming guests to this special treat.
Following this, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Port of Spain, Mr. Rishi Lakhan, provided a brief speech on behalf of the Mayor of the City of Port of Spain, Mr. Murchison Brown. He stated that this ceremony was the marking of 20 decades of the Chinese presence in Trinidad and Tobago. Thus, according to him, it is imperative for us to pay homage to our Chinese ancestors and descendants who helped shape the lives of all of us today. Mr. Lakhan then proceeded to remind the audience that the Chinese were economically prosperous before the country's independence in 1962 and so we must not underestimate the contribution of the Chinese. Testimony of their success lies in the myriad of Chinese restaurants, groceries, shops, laundries and other businesses that have made Port of Spain, and by extension, the rest of the country what it is today. Other areas such as banking, science, medicine and politics are also examples of where the Chinese presence can be deeply felt. He ended by commending the Chinese community for organizing this and other events and for their contribution to the economy and culture of the country.
Before the entertainment segment began, the President of the Chinese Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Bernard Aquing, presented the vote of thanks to all involved in making this event possible. He guessed that more than half the audience had some Chinese ancestry or that they had some kind of association with the Chinese in one way or another. Thus, according to him, we must not forget the great participation of the Chinese people in the country and thanked them tremendously for showcasing and preserving their culture.
Soon after, the audience was entertained by the Chinese Bicentennial Steel Ensemble who played a few local hits in their mix, indigenous Chinese songs by Leang Li Chin and others and additional Chinese musical acts. Particularly interesting was the Chinese classical musical group who gave the audience a taste of Chinese musical culture with authentic Chinese instruments.
Also present to pay tribute was the Hoi Ping Kung Fu group from China. They, along with the dragon dance demonstration, received high praise from the audience.
A fashion segment followed depicting different styles of dress from the different provinces from the Republic of China. The ladies were dressed elegantly and briefly strutted across the stage giving the audience only a glimpse of that aspect of their culture.
Other presentations came from Jonny Chow who presented “The Dragon's Sword” song and dramatization, demonstrations of Tai-Chi fan dancers and demonstrations of Tai-Chi martial arts formations including northern and southern styles of Tai-Chi from China. Some of the demonstrators were from the St. Michael's School for Boys', children from the Caribbean School of Dance, students from the Shaolin Temple of Trinidad and Tobago and students from the Aquarian Wushu Pai School.
The Chinese concert ended with short renditions by Calpsonian 'Crazy' (who boasted of his Chinese heritage), and songs by the band Blue Ventures which is managed by Bobby Quan (who has Chinese ancestry).
The Chinese Bicentennial in T and T in pictures:
www.triniview.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=92665
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