Traditions celebrated at Dragon Boat Festival in NY

Under the watchful eyes of guests, Brenda He slowly walked to the center of the stage. Dressed in a turquoise hanfu and gradually adorning her head with ornate hairpieces, she completed her coming-of-age ceremony, witnessed by the community she serves.

For the 17-year-old, the event at the Glow Cultural Center in New York on Saturday was special, as she celebrated the big day with her family and friends in a traditional Chinese Han-style ceremony, coinciding with celebrations of the Dragon Boat Festival that fell on Monday.

"I really like being a part of the Chinese culture," she said. "Honestly, this is my first time working with a hanfu, but they've always been part of our event, and I'm grateful for that. That's my heritage."

Brenda said she plans to wear hanfu for her high school graduation in a few weeks, adding that the attire is good for big days.

"Hanfu is something that not everyone knows about, so we set up the hanfu club to spread our culture more," she said.

As a Chinese American, Brenda has served for three years as a student volunteer promoting Chinese art and culture in the Queens borough in New York, as well as being one of the recipients of the 2020 President's Community Service Award.

Born and raised in the United States, Brenda said she was not that "cultured" at the beginning, but found that serving the Chinese community is also a path for her to learn about herself, her identity and her community.

"I finally saw our volunteer go through this traditional Chinese coming-of-age ceremony," said Ming Liang, director of programs at the Glow Cultural Center in Queens.

It means Brenda is taking on a new role with more social responsibilities, Ming said, adding that she hopes children of Chinese descent can revive this coming-of-age ceremony for girls, known as the Ji Li, even while living abroad. Also, boys can experience their own Guan Li adulthood ceremony, she said.

Commemorative events

US-born Chinese children also performed a self-directed minidrama celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, telling the tale of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), whom Chinese people commemorate on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

"I thought the children didn't understand our culture, but with our community efforts, we gradually realized that they actually enjoy these activities very much," Ming said. "I'm glad to see everyone deeply attracted to these various aspects of Chinese traditional culture."

Brandon Cabrera Gonzalez, 18, a volunteer, said, "I really like working here because, even though I might not be part of the Asian community, I feel very welcome."

The Glow Cultural Center also had small games and crafts as part of the Dragon Boat Festival for families and all ages, such as making zongzi (dumplings made of glutinous rice), embroidering five-color lucky bracelets, and shooting down the "five poisons".

"Whether it's these diverse folk games or folk crafts, they are all ways in which people have accumulated a longing for beauty and an expression of a good life throughout our thousand-year heritage of Chinese culture," Ming said.

"Bringing these small games, which carry some traditional Chinese wisdom, into our lives has festival commemorative significance and beautifully adorns everyday life."