For university student Alicia Leong, being part of the Chung Wah Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe is a powerful way to preserve the culture and heritage of the sport.
“It’s not just a performance art, it’s a tradition,” she says.
“It really teaches you discipline, teamwork, resilience—it all comes together.
“It’s a really deep culture.”
Alicia describes lion dance as having two people in the costume, with dragon dance involving nine people holding nine poles with the dragon on top.
She explains how the lion costume is filled with meaning, with the head symbolising wisdom and courage and the eyes, mouth and ears able to move to show personality and emotion.
Alicia says the horn stands for courage and the mirror wards off evil spirits and reflects negative energy, while the body and the tail represent unity and teamwork.
“…because you have two people in the lion and it takes two to make one lion,” she says.
The colours and patterns of the lion are also important, with a yellow lion signifying success and wealth, red lions standing for prosperity and black lions a sign of strength.
Involved with the Chung Wah Association for past 10 years, Alicia says she has taken many different roles over this time, including helping with training, organising performances and supporting new members.
Her favourite moments so far speak to the many opportunities this rich cultural activity offers.
They include seeing the crowd smile while performing at big community events, watching younger members improve and gain confidence and representing Australia at international events.
Alicia believes community groups like the Chung Wah Association - the largest and oldest not-for-profit culturally and linguistically diverse association established in WA - are important because they help keep culture alive.
“They give people a place to connect, learn, and feel supported,” she says.
“They also help younger generations understand their heritage and build pride in who they are.”
She says to be a member of the Western Australian Chinese community is to belong to something bigger.
“It means sharing traditions, supporting each other, and celebrating our culture together,” Alicia says.