Cultural Connections - February 2019

Happy New Year!

Feb. 5 is the official start of the Chinese New Year. 2019 is the Year of the Pig. Preparations for the new year began on January 28 with what is called the Little Year. It includes a day of memorial and prayer ceremonies. Main activities include house cleaning to sweep away bad luck. A reunion dinner, considered the most important meal of the day, is held on New Year's Eve. The Spring Festival celebrates the Chinese New Year and lasts from Feb. 5 to Feb. 19.

Firecrackers are set off to the start a day of greetings and blessings between neighbors. It is forbidden to sweep or clean on this day, else good fortune will be swept away.

The Chinese New Year comes to a climax with the Lantern Festival from Feb. 16-19. The festival lasted 10 days during the Ming dynasty, but now is only five days. Creating lanterns is the most important activity during the festival.

For more information

Black History Month - Film Series Wallace State Community College will be celebrating Black History Month with a video series featuring three films that spotlight African American history and diversity.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month, celebrating the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.Learn more at http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-historyfacts and https://africanamericanhistorymonth.gov.

DYE-Versity event set for February 28

Celebrate Jazz culture with exhibit The Evelyn Burrow Museum will host a special exhibit beginning Feb. 15, featuring posters as a celebration of Jazz music. The exhibit will be displayed in the Exhibit Hall of the Burrow Center for the Fine and Performing Arts.