Students at AAU settled for restaurant food on January 29 for Lunar New Year as Prague offered limited activities for the family-oriented holiday.
Most Southeast and East Asian countries celebrate the week-long festivities amongst friends and family. The annual date changes according to the Lunar calendar but will always fall during the new moon between January 21 and February 21.
“There’s not a lot of opportunities [in Prague], I couldn’t find lion dancing performances here.” explained second year AAU student Lily Copeland in response to celebrating Lunar New Year.
Lion dancing doesn’t incorporate living lions like the name might suggest. This performance incorporates dancers dressed in bright lion costumes moving to the beat of drums and it is believed to bring in good luck into the New Year and drive away evil spirits.
In order to participate in a lion dancing performance in middle school, Copeland had to practice Kung-fu for months leading up to the performance. Growing up in the United States, Copeland’s family aimed to create an environment where she could stay in touch with her Chinese heritage. However, this year, Copeland settled for eating Korean food at Bab Rýže.
“Lunar New Year is a chance to refresh and it’s a really good way to connect with my culture,” said Copeland. “Being adopted, my family dynamic is very different but having that ritual and cultural custom really helped me reconnect and makes me very proud.”
Second year AAU student, Prai Buranaond from Thailand mentioned how her Lunar New Year in Bangkok includes several days of praying and a family feast on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Buranaond was not able to find Buddhist temples in Prague. Her recent Lunar New Year celebration entailed exchanging text messages with friends and family back home and eating Korean barbecue at Nové Město’s Prahaggogi.
In Nepal, the dates for Lhosar, or Tibetan New Year, are similarly shifted every year like Lunar New Year. Birthday celebrations similarly follow this pattern.
Second year AAU student Neha Pande grew up in Nepal and Germany. Due to her multicultural upbringing, her family is less traditional, however her Nepali side continues to celebrate the holiday. Pande spent Lunar New Year’s Eve at Nepal House, an authentic Nepalese restaurant near Vyšehrad.
Buranaod, Pande, and Copeland celebrated Lunar New Year differently than they would have at home. If students would like to participate in a belated Lunar New Year celebration, Buranaod, Pande, and Copeland recommended these restaurants in Prague:
MALATANG NO. 1 – Hot pot buffet near the tram stop Václavské náměstí.
Thai Station Bistro & Cafe – Thai food near the tram stop Národní třída.
Happy Lunar New Year!
