Students get ready to ring in the Year of the Monkey
Get ready to ring in the new year. Billions of people across the globe are celebrating the 2016 Chinese New Year.
The lunar new year starts after the second full moon to occur after the winter solstice.
South Fork Elementary School joined in on the Chinese New Year’s festivities, they brought in a traditional dragon dance, decorated the gym with red lanterns, children ran around with monkey masks and enjoyed traditional foods.
Eight-year old Cienna Chase who attended the celebration said, ” I like the food and I am the year of the pig.”
This year, the Chinese zodiac is celebrating the monkey.
The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 years, each year representing an animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
People are said to be influenced by the personality of the animal that rules their birth year.
The color red represents happiness and life in the Chinese tradition.
A volunteer for the event, Marianne Wilde, said students should be taught other languages and cultures.
“I think it’s a great way to learn about the world and everywhere around us. I think students need to know that there’s a bigger picture a bigger world than just Idaho,” Wilde said.
Volunteer Sujuan Chen, who remembers playing with a Chinese yo-yo when she was a young, thought it was important to teach students how to use the toy.
“It’s very important for our culture, it’s almost like America’s Christmas. We get together with family and celebrate Chinese New Year. We have fun,” Chen said.
In China, the celebrations end on the 15th day of the new year with the Festival of Lanterns.
Some believe that the holiday is a celebration of the birthday of Tianguan, the Taoist god of good fortune.
What zodiac year were you born in?
Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
Sheep: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
