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Asian Festivals & Spring Traditions
Written by Will Chen and Steven Pham Seasons in Asian culture each have their own meanings and representations. With the Spring season underway, a time of renewal and hope begins. In East Asian culture, spring directly relates to the Confucian framework of family and ancestor veneration. Holidays such as Seollal and Qingming honor family lineage. In Southeast Asian culture, key themes revolving around Spring tend to be more expressive and focus on community. For example, water is a key symbol for joy, purification, and celebration, becoming prominent in festivals such as Songkran and Thingyan. One of the most significant spring festivals in Asia is Lunar New Year, widely celebrated in…
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Passing the Torch: Family Traditions I Continue to Uphold
Written by Francesca Tero My family has been at the heart of my earliest memories, shaping the traditions that have formed my strongest opinions and values. Every June during my most formative years, I would stand on stage to perform at an annual vocal recital in front of my entire community. This included my peers, teachers, various members of the church at which the recitals were always held, but most importantly, my parents, sister, cousins, Ninongs, and Ninangs, occupying a row of their own. Out of all of the people in the crowd, this was the only row whose eyes made me nervous. I remember also feeling shy at the…
