Feature: Vancouver's Mainland Chinese community puts on display of traditions

Members of Metro Vancouver's Chinese-Canadian community gathered Sunday to enjoy a showcase of Mainland Chinese cultural traditions and celebrations.

The second annual Chinese Cultural Heritage Festival took place at the local soccer stadium in the city of Burnaby next to Vancouver.

The event aims to tap into multicultural ideals that are central to Canada's identity and introduce youngsters in the Chinese-Canadian community to traditions from their Chinese homeland, organizers said.

Hua Niu, a member of the Canadian Community Service Association, said the Chinese culture is part of the Canadian culture because Canada is a multi-cultural society.

"So we think it's very important for our young kids to know what is Chinese culture. Everything here is to show them what's our traditional culture," Niu said.

James Wang, a city Councillor in Burnaby who helped to launch the festival two years ago, said Burnaby is one of Canada's most diverse cities with hundreds of different languages spoken at homes around the city.

The city also has a large Chinese community, he said, adding that it's important for festivals like this to bridge the gap between older and younger generations.

"That is so important to us; that is most valuable to us. I mean multiculturalism. So we come here to celebrate our Chinese culture; that is part of our multi-cultural societies. We are very happy to see young men, kids, women, and the seniors coming here to enjoy this festival," he said.

Organizers this year combined the heritage event with the 8th annual Chinese Water Splashing Festival, which is celebrated by several cultures in China and around Southeast Asia, often representing a fresh start to the new year.

Sunday's nice weather gave kids a chance to cool off from the summer heat, while also giving adults a chance to play with youngsters.

"People are able to get themselves cleansed before the upcoming year and also it brings them luck and fortune," Wand said.

"In Chinese history, water is actually seen as something scarce and valuable, and basically what they do is to take an olive branch and dab it in some water and then splash it on you to give you basically good luck for the upcoming year," he added. Endi