This year, Lunar New Year on campus was met with festive garlands strung, the smell of food streaming in from the kitchen and students gathering in celebration of the Lunar New Year on campus. At the Third Space Center on Jan. 29 and in Reid Ballroom on Jan. 31, students spend the holiday eating, reminiscing and wishing for what the new year will bring.
For junior Otto Wu, President of China at Whitman, the new year is a time to share cultural experiences with others.
“[Lunar New Year] makes more people join in our cultural celebrations and to let more people know what the Chinese culture looks like,” Wu said.
Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the new year on the lunisolar calendar. Typically celebrations extend over 15 days and include a variety of traditions to welcome a new year of prosperity to all who celebrate. Jerry Liu talked about his experience.
“As an international student from China, I have been experiencing the Lunar New Year for twenty years. And I will say, every year is different. The celebrations are generally the same, but your experiences are different each year. . . It’s a tradition,” Liu said.
This year, the newly opened Third Space Center provided a more close-knit place for celebration. Many students are many miles from home, and the Lunar new year is an important time for them. This holiday is an important time to connect them with their home.
“[The celebration] doesn’t change. It’s a festival of gathering. If we are in China, we just gather with our families. Since we are not, we celebrate with our friends and celebrate a new year and brand-new start. No matter where the place is, it is the people; not the place,” Liu said.
Wu, the primary organizer behind Jan. 29 celebrations, saw the Lunar New Year celebration as a way to remind students of the ever-present community on campus.
“We are just looking to make more people know our club… We want to share our cultures and experiences and make a difference and help with all communities at Whitman College. That’s our goal, and we want more people to know Whitman is a part of our home outside of home, and that is why we are having these events,” Wu said.
According to Dr. Jace Saplan, the Student Director of Identity and Belonging, events like these help students both enjoy fun celebrations and use their voices to lead.
“Students are at the center of our programming here [at the Third Space Center]. Students who have a specific interest or desire to program with us consult with me, [and] we ensure that the vision in their programming is rooted in culturally rounded, culturally responsive, culturally respectful ways; ensuring that our program can really serve the students here at Whitman,” Saplan said.
At the beginning of the night, club leader Otto Wu shared a short presentation explaining the significance of the event and the various traditions they have.
“We are just trying to let more people know about our events and join us because this is welcome to every community member to know our culture, our college and our special culture in our community,” Wu said.
Engaging more students in this event is important to many members of the club.
“In the programming that we engage with that students come out with a stronger sense of awareness of the incredible tapestry of diversity here and also how to engage in allyship, how to engage in solidarity or folks with the lived experience ‘that engage with the mission and culture that they have a sense of affinity with each other and build a coalition of safety and engagement,” Saplan said.
As students welcomed the Lunar New Year in a new space, the holiday served as a reminder of the strong community on campus that persists year-to-year.
