Lunar New Year: A Celebration of Unity

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year for Allen and his family. "Even though I was born in America, this is the only holiday my family celebrates, which makes it an important time of the year," he explains. The Lunar New Year celebration represents renewal, honoring ancestors, and wishing for good prosperity. Beyond its customs, the Lunar New Year aims to bring people together. Allen tells how it "creates a feeling of belonging through togetherness, generosity, and pride in culture." Allen joined Philadelphia's Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade, where he performed the lion dance as a member of the Philadelphia Suns. He discusses how this year's parade was especially memorable. "The Sixers announced that they have decided to stay in South Philly instead of building a new arena next to Chinatown," he says. "This brought a lot of joy and smiles to people’s faces, and this year’s parade was definitely one of the biggest." Allen also notes that although the festival has its roots in tradition, younger and older generations of Chinese Americans have differing perspectives on it. "Younger people see these festivals as fun ways to socialize and mix modern styles with tradition, while older generations focus on keeping rituals alive." Both, however, derive significance from the festivities, guaranteeing the survival of cultural customs.

Celebrating Bengali Festivals

Puja celebrates a number of Bengali holidays, such as Bengali New Year, Diwali, Saraswati Puja, and Durga Puja. She rarely has the opportunity to interact with her community and dress traditionally outside of these events. "I don’t see a lot of these people outside of the temple, so these festivals give us an event to gather for," she shares. It's not always simple to celebrate these customs in Philadelphia, though. "Cultural festivals have to evolve when you bring them to a new location," Puja explains. Due to space limitations and a lack of vacation time, these festivals are often smaller in the United States than they are in South Asia. However, people belonging to the South Asian community still find a way to feel connected in spite of this. Similar to Allen, Puja also talks about the change in how the younger generations interact with these traditions. "When I was a child, my parents made me participate as much as I could, so I picked up the language and culture more. I don’t see them doing the same for my brothers or other children in the last 5-10 years." For Puja, these changes raise valid concerns about the future generations and how that will affect cultural preservation as well as traditions.

Festivals as Connection

Allen and Puja both emphasize how cultural festivals promote cultural exchange. "Festivals bring different cultures together by allowing people to share traditions, food, music, and customs," Allen says. Puja agrees to this, remembering how she has invited people to her temple's festivities and reciprocated by going to other cultural festivals. "I enjoy the immersion," she adds. I definitely agree that more can be done by local governments to encourage these customs. I think Philadelphia residents would appreciate the varied representation around the city, especially since many people are unaware of these holidays and traditions. While Puja thinks even little actions, like putting decorations on lampposts or acknowledging these holidays with time off, could have an impact, Allen recommends providing funds and venues for festivities. "Acknowledgment is always the first step," Puja says. Cultural festivals are vital in a city as diverse as Philadelphia, where communities can come together and celebrate their identity. These events promote understanding between various cultures, help immigrants maintain ties to their heritage, and even make them feel like they belong. As Allen puts it, "These traditions help everyone feel part of something bigger."

While I personally haven’t participated in any Bengali traditions, I have always gone to or engaged with some of the other cultural festivals held in Philly such as the Odunde Festival which means "Happy New Year" In Yoruba. This cultural festival celebrates Black culture and the broader African diaspora heritage. This festival is always packed with people with great food, dancing, and lots of music. Similarly, I am also a frequent attendee of the YeShi Chinatown Night Markets, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Shofuso Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park. I strongly believe that festivals and other cultural celebrations add so much value and vibrancy to a city’s linguistic landscape. Furthermore, these celebrations act as stages for activism, focusing attention on important issues impacting both minority and immigrant communities. It holds space to shed light on topics such as racism, discrimination, gentrification, representation, or even language accessibility. In these spaces, years of history, culture, and resilience entwine. 

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