During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake, the East African Guangdong Association presented a lion dance performance in the Chinatown of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
This performance was presented by residents in Nairobi who were trained by overseas Chinese from Foshan.
In the Chinatown of Nairobi, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air, with vibrant lion dances taking center stage. Colorful lions leapt and somersaulted through the streets and alleys. They shook their heads and wagged their tails, or leapt into the air, their agile movements conveying New Year blessings and vitality to everyone. The lions moved between various shops to "pluck the greens" (a traditional lion dance activity), symbolizing prosperity and abundant wealth in the coming year.
Zhan Li, president of the East African Guangdong Association, was the leader of the lion dance team. He said that the team's coaches were trained by the Foshan Wong Fei-Hung Lion Dance Team, while the team members were local Kenyans. After training, the residents mastered the authentic lion dance skills. "Although the residents had no prior experience with lion dance, they were naturally talented and had a good understanding of musical rhythm and body movements," said Zhan Li.
Author: Lu Haoneng
Pictures: Zhan Li
Editor: Huang Qini, James, Shen He
