Chung Wah Society Lions Eye-Dotting Ceremony

With the new Dragon year looming upon us and the excitement of a new school year, our schedules are quickly building up. My roster is choc-a-block with activities, appointments and things to do!

Let's start the ball rolling with our first ceremonious event of the year. Today, Brandon's Junior Lion Dance Troupe participated in the Blessing and Awakening ceremony of new lion heads - or most commonly known as Eye-Dotting ceremony. The society purchased a number of new lion heads for the seniors and juniors, so they all need to be blessed.

Much as I've seen lion dances in my lifetime back in Malaysia, I've never known the rituals of Lion Dancing apart from their performances until today. There are a number of lion heads that were blessed in the temples. These lions are used when the troupe is invited to bless residences, shops, businesses, offices, etc. Hence, the lion dancers have to cleanse themselves by washing their hands in blessed water before they handle the lion heads; and only boys/men are allowed to dance the lions - temple rules. Then there are those new lions heads that are used at the society for training and performance purposes only, so they don't have to be blessed at the temple, but still go through the eye-dotting ritual. As the junior troupe have increased in numbers, the society has obtained a couple more 'baby' lion heads for the little ones.

Brandon was privileged to have been selected to dance one of the new lion heads for the Blessing and Awakening. Hope you'll enjoy the photos and videos as much as I did. I'm so proud of my little man.

Getting into gear. Don't you think he looks chic in his purple and white fluffy pants?

The first lot of lions being blessed and eye-dotted at the temple.

Brandon is the purple and white lion. This is the beginning of the ceremony in the temple. I apologise for the bad cinematography. Number one: my video camera ain't fantastic. Number two: I had to jostle with the paparazzi so I gotta take whatever comes, and can't get a good angle shot and hone in on Brandon. Anyway, you'll get the idea :)

Then moving out onto the temple grounds where the spectators await. This is where the lions 'mingle' and 'get to know' each other. The new lions also 'meet' the great dragon. Brandon's lion is right at the front 'greeting' the dragon in the first picture.

See, even Uncle Lloyd did his part in 'dancing' the dragon, albeit the shorts....




Yes...he is a little bit camera-averse today. Guess it's because he didn't have enough sleep the night before :(

Moving on to the the training and performing lions, they also had their eyes dotted before the troupe danced them.

Brandon's lion did look a bit lost amongst the bigger lions, but did have fun 'dancing'.

Hooray to the Chung Wah Lion Dance troupe for a job well done. Good on ya, kids!

Stay tune for more 'Doong Doong Chang' to come..... Happy New Year and Kong Hee Fatt Choy everyone!