Yale-NUS College Celebrates Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is a special occasion for many in Singapore, and it is no exception for those at Yale-NUS College. This year, the College celebrated the Lunar New Year with a full line up of events across two days,  with large-scale celebrations being held for the first time in three years. Prior to the Lunar New Year which started on 22 January, various events such as calligraphy at Elm College and Saga College, as well as paper cutting at Cendana College, brought much festive cheer to the community.

The celebrations on 1 February started with a literal bang, as Kingfishers were treated to a lively lion dance performance and an up-close and personal experience with the traditional art form at a lion dance workshop. The audience was fascinated by the intricate movements of the lions and the beats of the accompanying percussion, bringing about a much-welcomed jolt of energy on a Wednesday afternoon. Even as the curtain fell for the lion dance, the festivities did not end: students staying at the Oculus after the performance were treated to a teaser of how to replicate the ancient tradition in a lion dance workshop, taking turns donning elaborate costumes and trying their hands at the drums.

The lion dance enthralls the crowd. Image by Loe Wen (Class of 2025) for Yale-NUS College.

“I loved how the lion dance brought the College together for some light-hearted fun, away from the stresses of schoolwork,” commented Sheriah Peries (Class of 2025), who was among the attendees at the performance. “It was amazing to watch the spirited performance and get a taster of how lively festivals could be. For me, it was another sign life has returned to normal after the pandemic.”

In the meantime, the Yale-NUS Student Affairs Office (SAO) transformed its space into a mini-carnival, with sumptuous snack offerings synonymous with the festive season in Singapore like pineapple tarts and vegan Bak Kwa, a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky. As Kingfishers sampled the traditional delicacies and took them home in a specially designed bag by Liyana Doneva (Class of 2023), the spirit of Lunar New Year as a time of reunion was not forgotten. Students could pick up a free postcard and send it to their loved ones anywhere in the world with SAO’s help, as a homage to the importance of community.

In the same spirit of community, 4 February, Saturday saw an open house organised by Yale-NUS President and Professor of Social Sciences (Economics) Joanne Roberts at the cozy President’s Apartment. It was open to all members of the Yale-NUS community, from alumni and current students to faculty and staff. President Roberts enthusiastically greeted each guest at the door, while a spread of delicious snacks and oranges, as is tradition, awaited them.

Guests viewing the President’s Apartment’s art collection. Image by Avery for Yale-NUS College.

Over the course of the morning, Kingfishers past and present exchanged vivid details of their current life and their experiences on the campus, sharing memories of how they made Yale-NUS their home and looking forward to new ways to keep on building our College community. As new guests trickled in, they were also treated to an exclusive tour of the apartment, together with its exquisite art collection from diverse cultures.

“I was first here when [President Pericles Lewis] hosted a dinner in 2015 or 2016,” shared Nicholas Lua (Class of 2019), an alumnus who currently works in journalism, “it’s nostalgic to experience this space again while meeting the cool undergraduates [still studying here].”

Lunar New Year is a time to connect with familiar heritage and embrace diverse cultures, and Yale-NUS’s festivities help to encourage that, with the College a second home to its Kingfisher community. As students, faculty, staff and alumni come together for the performances or gatherings, they are also anchored within this community that grows ever closer as the College steps into a new year.