Year of the Water Snake to be celebrated at Parliament

8 February 2013

Year of the Water Snake to be celebrated at Parliament

The Chinese Year will be celebrated at Parliament on 13 February 2013 at an event to be hosted by Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins.

Prime Minister John Key will join about 180 guests at the function. They will be welcomed with a traditional lion dance.

The Director of the Office of Ethnic Affairs Mervin Singham says the Chinese calendar remains a significant part of modern Chinese culture.

“Cultural festivals such as this offer us an opportunity to celebrate the richness and cultural diversity of our ethnic communities. It is also an invaluable opportunity to make time to understand and learn more about the traditions and practices of the communities who have made New Zealand home,” he said.

“So if you know someone who may celebrate Chinese New Year, we encourage you to try the traditional greeting - Gung Xi Fa Chai - and find out more about how they celebrate their New Year.”

“With the growing importance of New Zealand’s relationship with China, learning more about Chinese culture will help us build vital connections with China. The Office of Ethnic Affairs will continue to work closely with the Chinese community particularly in the areas of building connections for the business community through its Ethnic People in Commerce NZ (EPIC NZ) project,” he said.

Chinese New Year celebrations start on the first day of the first lunar month in the traditional Chinese calendar and end on the full moon 15 days later. Each calendar year is represented by one of 12 animals and five elements, which traditionally attribute characteristics and personality traits to those born in a given year. This year is the year of the Water Snake and the traits associated with it include wisdom, intuition and charm. Other snake years include 1953 (Water), 1965 (Wood), 1977 (Fire), 1989 (Earth) and 2001 (Metal).

At the time of the 2006 Census, the Chinese population (including New Zealand born and migrant Chinese) made up 3.6 percent of the total population in New Zealand, making it the largest Asian ethnic population group.
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