How Chinese celebrated Chinese Lunar new year in Kenya

ldleo · 2022-02-07T01:37:03+00:00

Na Ronald Mutie The Chinese are in their first week of ushering in the Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the tiger. In Kenya revelers flocked to ring in the Chinese New Year at a celebratory event hosted by the China Media Group in Nairobi on 31st January at Two Rivers Mall in the Capital Nairobi. The celebration centered on a real-time live screening of the China Media Group’s ‘Spring Festival Gala’ show, an annual television event recognized as the most widely watched TV show in the world. Attendees both Chinese and locals had the chance to sample Chinese delicacies while enjoying cultural performances, participating in lucky draws and getting a taste of the unique traditions associated with this ancient holiday. But as revelers danced the night away at the mall other Chinese living in Kenya chose to have in-house parties with family and friends. Xu Jing has been in Kenya for 14 years. Here she not only fell in love with a country but also married Dr Henry Kibet Rotich and blessed with two children, Owen Xu Kipkoech and Wendy Xu Jelimo. Chinese New Year in Kenya far away from her home town in Jilin province, Northeastern China. And 2022 the year of the tiger was no exception for the Chinese teacher with Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi. On the eve of the New Year 31st January 2022 their home in Nairobi was beautifully adorned with Chinese themed decorations . Owen and Wendy put on red Chinese traditional attire bringing the real feelings of Chinese New Year celebration. They also wrote a Chinese poem, tiger drawing and send to their teachers as Chinese New Year gifts. And on the dining table the family had prepared mouthwatering Chinese delicacies including dumplings, vegetables, fruits and roast meat. In China, locals normally have a New Year break for at least seven but here they returned to work almost immediately. Lei Jing another Chinese is looking forward to a fruitful year in business. It’s her fourth year celebrating Chinese New Year in Kenya. “I teamed up with other friends and went out on a cooking and eating spree in my friend’s home” says Jing who sells Chinese sourced goods online. With a gang of ten friends, they toasted Chinese wine, exchanged gifts and literally turned the house into a small China. Jing says she also send Hongbao to loved ones back home. Hongbao is a tradition that involves giving out money in a red envelope and has been passed on over the generations. But with the technology and internet evolution hongbao is simply send by a mobile phone from anywhere across the globe. Her parents and other family members are more than 8, 400 Kilometers in Xian City, Shaanxi Province in central China. “We kept in touch by wechat video calls” she says. The Chinese New Year commonly referred to as Lunar New Year is one of the most significant annual celebrations in China. With Chinese Nationals spread mostly in all parts of the word, the celebration has also gained global traction.

Thread starter ldleo
Start date Feb 7, 2022
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chinese how kenya new year

ldleo

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How Chinese celebrated Chinese Lunar new year in Kenya

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