Chinese New Year celebrated in Memorial Union

Students observed the Chinese New Year with food and fun.

By Taylor Combs

Published Feb. 2, 2009

The smell of sesame seed dumplings and spring rolls filled the air Friday night in Memorial Union as students gathered for a Chinese New Year celebration.

The event was co-sponsored by Missouri Students Association and the Graduate Professional Council International Programming Committee and part of a series of Friday night events put on by Mizzou After Dark. The event welcomed more than 500 students, faculty and Columbia community members.

The Chinese traditionally observe the New Year, which began Jan. 26 this year, for five days. This event fell on the fifth day of the Year of the Ox.

Attendees could paint a parasol or fan, make a Chinese drum, fold origami or apply temporary Chinese tattoos. Traditional festival foods, such as dumplings, spring rolls and Chinese tea were served, as well as the usual Shakespeare's pizza and soda.

Multiple student groups collaborated with Mizzou After Dark to make these activities happen.

"The Friendship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars and several other groups helped us with the Chinese calligraphy, the Chinese food and tea and the drum performance," Student Services Coordinator Sara Garner said. "We have found that is just an integral part of events like this because it not only makes them more authentic but it draws a crowd from those groups as well."

Freshman Ashleigh Bartlett, who has traveled to China, came to the event to take part in the celebration and learn more about the traditions of Chinese New Year.

"I think a lot of people don't really know a lot about Chinese culture and so they are interested in things they don't know about," Bartlett said.

Garner said the event helped to provide a piece of home for international students. She said the cost, free for students with an MU student ID and $5 for non-students, also helped draw people to the event.

"In general this whole year we've been having really high numbers and I think with the economy being so bad, it's a free option for students on campus and they are learning to take advantage of that," Garner said.

Graduate student Abhi Dutta said he appreciated that even during a recession, MU was willing to sponsor cultural programs with free food and drinks.

"You get to know about the world on the news, on TV, radio, the Internet and the media. But getting to experience it yourself is a completely different feeling altogether and I am grateful that Mizzou is doing that for us," Dutta said.

Mizzou After Dark events are free to students because the Student Activity Fee funds them. For Friday's event, the MSA/GPC International Programming Committee joined funds and manpower.

"We both combine funding and help to set up the event," said Whitney Johnson McKinney, junior chairwoman for the International Programming Committee. "We come early and help them set up the event and we will help them take everything down again afterwards."

Garner said hosting the Chinese New Year celebration had become a tradition for Mizzou After Dark and the International Programming Committee.

"Several years ago the IPC chair came to us and wanted us to get involved in this event," she said. "We try to schedule this themed event as close to the actual holiday as possible and so that fell on the first Friday that we were having an event this semester. "

The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, so it sometimes falls in January or February and differs from year to year, health management and informatics professor Yang Gong said.

The next collaborative event between Mizzou After Dark and the MSA/GPC International Programming Committee is Carnival on Feb. 20. The Luso Brazilian Students Association is a partner in the event, which Garner said will feature Brazilian dancers, face painting, king's cake, beads and masks.