Vietnamese Festival Melbourne

(Minghui.org)Both spectators and parade participants enjoyed the energetic and exciting waist drum performance by Falun Gong practitioners at the annual Chinese New Year celebration in Footscray Melbourne on January 31, 2016.

Falun Gong practitioners perform waist drums at New Year celebration in Footscray Melbourne.

The Vietnamese community in Footscray, which shares Chinese cultural traditions, organized the annual lunar New Year celebration. They have invited the waist drum team from the Falun Dafa Association of Melbourne to participate every year for the past several years.

Mr. Bui Nam, a Vietnamese community leader, said, “The bright yellow colors represent their spiritual belief, and they are very friendly, very energetic, and very peaceful.”

Mr. Bui Nam, Vietnamese community leader.

Community leaders and city council members from the neighboring city of Maribyrnong participated in the parade by marching behind the waist drum team.

City councilman Mr. Cr Nam Quach said he believed the parade was a showcase of freedom, democracy, and culture diversity. The waist drum performance also left him a strong impression. He said, “I like their performance very much! It is very cheerful. I can feel a strong energy. It is very beautiful, too.”

Mr. Cr Nam Quach, from the Maribyrnong City Council.

Ms. Sarah Carter, of the Maribyrnong City Council, and Dr. Kieu Tien Dung, a Vietnamese community leader.

Ms. Sarah Carter, from the Maribyrnong City Council, was excited and enjoyed the celebration very much. Dr. Kieu Tien Dung said the festival organizers have invited the Falun Gong waist drum team to perform every year because of it’s large scale, and people really enjoyed the performance.