With the swishing of brooms, sizzling of dumplings, fluttering of red lanterns and popping of fire crackers came the Lunar New Year, welcoming fortune and new beginnings. Celebrations emerged around Oklahoma, inviting people from all groups to immerse themselves in Asian culture. 

Based on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, horoscope, the year of the horse brings in dynamic change and a sense of intense energy that encourages personal growth and passionate strive. 

“The horse is strong,” Chinese teacher Ling Miller “Tao Lao Shi” said. “If you are thinking of opening a business or getting a college education, you will be successful. There is [马/馬] mǎ, horse, that means immediate success.”

Miller’s classes celebrated by making horse cut-outs with X-ACTO knives to decorate the walls. Additionally, Miller prepared snacks for the students to eat while they watched a video on the background and meaning of the Spring Festival, another name for the holiday. 

“I draw on the board, everything, everywhere to decorate,” Miller said. “This time is my favorite, and when I watch the students happily and seriously learning culture, I think, ‘Oh, that’s exactly what the Chinese class, language and culture [is about].’”

Outside of the classroom, Miller continued the festivities at home, her son returning from his job as a pilot for the celebration. Following tradition, she gave him a red envelope containing lucky money and shared a meal with him.

“I make dumplings and something traditional like fish,” Miller said. “In America, it’s only me and my son.”

Miller was not the only staff member to celebrate though. Theology teacher Justus Fostvedt was also able to involve himself in the holiday by attending a Tết (Vietnamese New Year) celebration Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help after his students had invited him to come.

“Honestly, the Mass was actually really beautiful,” Fostvedt said. “It was really impressive, the music in particular.”

What made the Mass particularly memorable for Fostvedt was the lion dance that occurred outside after the service.

“There was a point during the lion dance when the lines got super tall, and me and my wife were like, ‘How did that happen?’ Fostvedt said. “We were kind of taken aback, but then we realized within the costume, they’re standing on each other’s shoulders. Just the amount of time and dedication to talent that went into that was really beautiful.”

Although it was his first time celebrating Lunar New Year, Fostvedt noted the significance of the holiday to him despite not being exposed much to the culture prior.

“There’s beauty and diversity,”  Fostvedt said. “Seeing how certain aspects of human nature that God has put in, that we all have being in the image of God are expressed in all of these different ways — it’s just beautiful to watch that.”

Aside from Fostvedt, many students were also at the celebratory Mass, with some participating in the performances themselves. 

“My favorite part of celebrating was being able to dance onstage with my friends and display our culture and tradition for people to see,” junior Abby Anh said. “Sharing the Vietnamese tradition is pretty important to me, and with this holiday, I hope that everyone views this precious time the way I do.”

Freshman Dalesia Tran, another dancer at the Mass, felt that the performance was full of honor.

“I was glad to show my culture,” Tran said. “I especially liked the ending where we bowed because it was an expression of filial piety to my ancestors.”

Meanwhile, junior Kobi Vandyck celebrated by attending Hoops of Fortune, a basketball event held in collaboration between the Asian District Cultural Association and OKC Thunder. He was given a free ticket to the game from his friend.

“I didn’t really celebrate Lunar New Year before this year because I haven’t really connected with that part of myself yet,” Vandyck said.

In between the game’s quarters were featured performances, which consisted of a Japanese drumline, a traditional Filipino dance, a lion dance and a special halftime show from the Rakuten Girls, who are a baseball cheerleading squad from Taiwan. 

“The most memorable moment for me was getting my autographs from those Taiwanese cheerleaders,” Vandyck said. “I felt honored to be there and that I was a part of the community in a cultural sense — a cultural appreciation type sense.”

After participating in the Lunar New Year festivities for the first time, Vandyck felt that to him the holiday’s significance had increased.

“It signifies the renewal of a new year and means more to me now because it’s something that can bring people together and let us all hope for the future,” Vandyck said.

As the celebrations conclude, people can look forward to the next Lunar New Year, which starts on Feb. 6. The horse will eventually take its leave, welcoming in the year of the goat.