What I love about the Lunar New Year is how food peacebuilding is front and centre of the celebrations.
For instance, the day before the new year, the family gathers for the family reunion meal. More significant than the other days, this specific meal has an important symbolic role of aiding family cohesion: even when family members have disagreements, they put those aside for the day and just eat. This is why this special meal triggers the world's largest annual migration (in China)!
What people eat during the Lunar New Year has also morphed over time, reflecting how identity and culture are fluid.
‘Yee sang’ is a ‘prosperity salad’ created in Malaysia but is now eaten at many Chinese reunion gatherings during the Lunar New Year period. Everyone present grabs a pair of chopsticks and takes part in tossing the salad. The higher the better for more fortune!
If you haven’t celebrated Lunar New Year before, reach out to someone who is and self-invite yourself!! More likely than not, they will feel touched that you are interested.
Happy year of the dragon!
(For a version of this article published on The University of Melbourne's Pursuit, go to https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/lunar-new-year-is-all-about-food-family-food-peacebuilding-and-food )