2 days Ago By Moffat Mamu
IN a display of rich cultural heritage and patriotism, the Chinese Community in Honiara gathered on Sunday to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The event was held at Chunga Wah School and also saw the attendance of Chung Wah School students and teachers with their families and friends and representatives of business companies in Honiara. The Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Tozen Leokana and the Minister for Culture and Tourism Choylin Yim Douglas represented Solomon Islands Government at the event.
The festival is celebrated on the 15 Day of the eighth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is the autumn season in China. Speaking at the celebration, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Honiara,Ding Yonghua said, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. “The festival carries rich cultural connotations.
We, as Chinese, use the fullness of the moon to symbolize the reunion of the world and to express our deep longing for home and relatives, as well as our best wishes for a happy life. We have a large number of Chinese communities here in Honiara. “It is very important for them to remember Chinese cultures and showcase Chinese cultures to Solomon Islands people.
” Mr Yonghua said as the Chinese in Solomon Islands celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together, this occasion is reflective of their yearning for reunion and harmony as well as their deep feelings for their family and country. He said Solomon Islands shares similar cultures and mindsets, adding that over the past five years, the China-Solomon Islands relations have been at the forefront of China’s relations with the Pacific Island Countries. “In July of this year, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele made a successful visit to China, injecting more momentum into our friendship and cooperation.
Our two countries should continue to be as close as friends and as united as a family,” he added. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was hosted by the Solomon Islands Chinese Women’s Association together with the Chung Wah School and showcased traditional Chinese cultural dances and songs in celebration of the importance of the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for farmers to celebrate the abundance of the summer harvest and for families to gather to eat moon cakes and admire the Moon.
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