Chinese New Year

For some reason I thought that my town would not really celebrate Chinese New Year. I guess there are more families here with Chinese ancestry then I imagined. At hte end of the day, I am left with the smell of incense, the sound of firecrackers, and the sight of families spending time together outside their homes.

My town is somewhat deserted, as most people have gone somewhere to visit their families for the holiday. There was a strange formality that went on at school, I'm told it happens every year. The students and teachers get dressed and go to school in the morning and then promptly go back home again. When I asked why bother coming at all the response is that school still goes on despite the holiday, but we must go home and pay tribute to our ancestors. Luckily, I was at home doing laundry and did not get dressed and walk all the way to school. Confused texts from fellow volunteers said they had done otherwise.

I was invited by my co-teacher to her home to see what her family was doing in honor of the holiday. All I had previously known was that many people deep clean their house (much like a spring cleaning) and cook a lot of food.





When I arrived, there was a large table covered in delicious looking food, drinks, fake money, and incense. You are supposed to go to the table and light some incense to honor your ancestors. They then brought me a huge tray of food, bigger than normal I might add. They wanted me to eat it...at 9:30 in the morning! I have to admit, I tried some out of courtesy, and it was delicious!





Then they took out a basin that is usually used for laundry and put some fake money and gold into it and lit a fire. The fire grew so big I really thought the house would burn down or the baby would fall in. Thankfully, none of this happened. I did get to burn some pretty realistic 100 dollar bills. For some reason all I could think of was the line from the P-Diddy song "It's all about the Benjamin's Baby". When I asked why they are burning fake money, gold, and material, my co-teacher told me it's because the ancestors in hell/underworld, (I believe in their religion that's where everyone goes, but do not quote me) need money to buy things and clothes to wear. Of course! The family looked at me like it made perfect sense, and I guess it kind of does.





On the way home I saw a lot of people lighting fires to put burn money for their ancestors in front of their homes. I also saw children and men lighting firecrackers and families sitting outside their homes playing games and drinking.

As I walked up to my house I saw similar things going on inside. Of course! My family has some Chinese blood. I had forgotten. My host mother put out a delightful buffet, including an abundance of coca-cola and cigarettes. My kind of offering. They had also turned on the lights to the altar that honors the ancestors and put some incense outside the door.







Walking up the stairs, munching on the treats that my co-teachers family gave me to take home, "knome sabye jaruke" (roughly translated, if I'm hearing it correctly, snack happy pork. Don't worry they are really made from rice), I thought today had a very nice air about it.