Happy Tiger Year all

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Gung hai fat choi — Sun nian fai lok! Happy Tiger New Year!

From the Gisborne Chinese community, we wish you all a Happy Tiger Year as part of the lunar calendar of events for Chinese people.

In Gisborne we have cancelled our community Chinese picnic, for the first in my 62 years in Gisborne.

Many families will have had a banquet of traditional food last night and this morning a vegetarian breakfast.

Traditionally it is time for family and whanau, sharing stories and the giving of hung bao — red packets with money in them — to our unmarried children mainly and our grandchildren. Even my two-year-old moko in Brighton knows what’s in the packet.

The tiger, as you know, is a very strong-willed and brave animal; it is known as the king of the animals in Chinese ancient history.

Tiger comes in five elements: gold, wood, water, fire and earth — each element represents the type of tiger year you are born in.

This year it is the water tiger, so expect lots of aspects to do with water — maybe the three waters reform, or weather and sea events. It is predicted water tiger year also represents strength in the arts, technology and design sector. Perhaps that is why I’ve started my art series.

From our families to yours, have a great water tiger year, and may the Tairawhiti prosper in all ways.

Meng Foon