Passing on Multicultural CNY Blessings NZ Police Officers & BLIA YAD NZ Perform Lion Dance on Chinese New Year Eve

Lion dance has long been an auspicious practice that occurs during festivals, grand rituals and ceremonies. It symbolises magnificence and well-being. Four police representatives from New Zealand Police who were invited by Abbess Manshin from Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple Auckland, joined Lion Dance performance on Chinese New Year Eve.

FGS Auckland YAD member Sean started YAD lion dance group in 2010. After 10 years of hard work and dedication, he is now in charge of teaching in Fo Guang Lion Dance group. During rehearsal, Sean started with the basic cooperation between the front and back dancers in the lion costume. The dance movements were broken down to horse stance, lion head lifting, lowering body, bending down and many more. The dance steps were then brought together with matching beats of traditional instruments: gongs, cymbals and drums. The dancers will have to pay close attention on the details, for example, the blinking of lions’ eyes and movements of lions stance were practiced over and over again. Police officers were completely new to lion dance at the start, however, after several hours of dedicated rehearsals, they were able to depict the dignified energy from lions through their dance.

On Chinese New Year's Eve, YAD and police officers brought out four lions. The lions marched towards the Main Shrine in high spirits, paid tribute to the Three Jewels and the public. The lions' bright and lively characters were expressed in their nimble, witty and festive movements as they circled the stage, jumped high and low, performed treasure offering and received red envelopes from Abbess. Performers were greeted with thunderous applause when audience realised that four lion dancers were the community police officers.

Abbess Manshin said that the police officers are the protectors of the public as they carry out their duties and maintain order. They bring safety to the community and peace to the country. On New Year's Eve, New Zealand police officers from different cultural backgrounds joined YADs and worked creatively, brought joy, blessings and peace of mind to temple visitors. More importantly, this because a part of history for promoting multiculturalism in New Zealand. In Buddhism, a lion’s roar symbolises the fearlessness and majesty of the Buddha when spreading Dharma. The New Zealand police officers joined YAD lion dance group and perform the lion dance after the Chinese New Year morning prayers to temple visitors. The lion dance is a portrait of the diligent cultivation in heart, which also brings blessings to all four seasons.