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Chinese New Year celebrations 2023
The Canford Community recently embraced the Spring Festival of Chinese New Year within academic lessons as well as with special food; games; crafts, talks and sharing of cultures and traditions from home by some of our ethnic Chinese Canfordians.
Staff and pupils enjoyed honouring the beginning of the Lunar Year of the Rabbit. Posters on Chinese heritage, made by pupils, were displayed around school buildings, to publicise the many events and activities taking place which included a traditional New Year’s Day themed lunch, and an evening of themed crafts, Mahjong, chess and Go, snacks, fortune cookie and tea tasting, Chinese calligraphy and the opportunity to learn ink painting. Individual House events saw pupils enjoy making dumplings and listening to their fellow pupils talk about their experience of the festivities in China. History and Politics teacher Mr Fearnley gave a talk on “Britain’s Forgotten Army: The Chinese Labour Corps in WW1” while the school library created a special Spring Festival reading display and invited the school community to take part in origami lantern making sessions. Chinese Language teacher, Ms Shao, taught staff and pupils to say a ‘Happy New Year’ greeting in Mandarin through a specially created video.
The celebrations culminated with a special visit to a local Chinese restaurant to honour the final day of festivities, The Lantern Festival. This festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace and forgiveness, and marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Spring Festival celebrations.
Pagan Bishop, International Pupil Co-ordinator, commented:
“Our aim is to have some fun celebrating the traditions and identity of our ethnic Chinese pupils and bring members of our Canford community across the school together to learn more about aspects of a different cultures across the globe.”
One pupil echoed the views of many about the enjoyment of the special lunch prepared by the school chefs:
"I want to say thank you so much for the food at lunch today. It truly was one of the most delicious meals I’ve eaten in a very long time! As someone who is half Chinese, I really appreciate the effort that went into the different courses to celebrate the lunar new year - the beef was particularly amazing."