Gala night heralds Chinese Lunar New Year in Ghana

ACCRA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community in Ghana embraced the Chinese Lunar New Year with a beautiful gala night here late Friday.

A display of Chinese folk arts and culture, including various dance forms, put members of the Chinese community who are away from home in a festive mood.

The fireworks provided by a detachment of the Ghanaian military and the colorful decoration of the dais in Chinese traditional red color with paraphernalia to match, as well as the Chinese opera music in the background set the tone for the night.

Students of two Confucius Institutes in Ghana provided well-rehearsed Chinese music with excellent choreography to spice up the night as the audience, numbering some thousands, could not help but cheer in excitement.

The audience was also treated to the famous dragon dance -- a traditional Chinese dance performed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.

A group of Ghanaian dancers held aloft the long red creature, made with rubber and paper, twisting and turning on the dais, which was also arrayed in a beautiful red background, responding to the thumbing of the drum in the background.

The audience also included Ghanaian Ambassador to China Winfred Nii Okai Hammond and a number of former Ghanaian envoys to China. The Chinese business community was well-represented in their rank and file and leadership.

Addressing the audience, Hammond said the joyous moment of the Chinese Lunar New Year called for goodwill between Ghana and China, two traditional friends over decades.

"This function and occasion is very important to me, but more importantly, to the friendship between Ghana and China," Hammond said.

"I can confidently say that the year 2023, the Year of the Rabbit which I am told is a very wise animal, a smart animal that brings fortune and great success, will bring Ghana and China closer together despite the challenges that we have faced on many fronts," he said.