Lunar New Year celebrates the new year and my Okinawan cultural roots - Kumiko Ho

Kumiko Ho (right) is from Okinawa, Japan, and moved to Sydney seven years ago. Kumiko celebrates Lunar New Year with her family with Hong Kong background Source: Kumiko Ho

Get the SBS Audio app

Other ways to listen

Kumiko Ho moved to Sydney 7 years ago but she hasn't being able to go back to Japan for 2 years due to the coronavirus pandemic. That made celebrating Lunar New Year in Sydney more important than ever before.

Lunar New Year feast at the residence of Kumiko Ho, a Sydney based Japanese sanshin (Okinawan musical instrument) player. Photo taken in 2020. Source: Kumiko Ho

Lunar New Year has become a popular cultural event in Australia.

Ms Kumiko Ho is originally from Itoman City in Okinawa, Japan. In modern Japan, Lunar New Year is not celebrated as big as "Solar" New Year, but there are some places where Lunar New Year is still celebrated as one of the communities' most important cultural and seasonal events.

"Before the pandemic, I used to fly back to Okinawa frequently. It was an easy way for me and my kids to be soaked in the Okinawan traditions and its culture, because what you have to do is just go there. Everything is there", Ms Ho said.

"But we can't do that now. That made me think that I should do something here (in Sydney)".

In the audio, Ms Ho shares her memory of Lunar New Year in her home-town and tells us how she and her family celebrated it in Sydney this year.

Ms Ho teaches Okinawan musical instrument called Sanshin in Sydney. She will perform for

Sydney Lunar Festival

on the 12th this month at the

Lunar Spectacular Show

Reenacting hometown traditions in Sydney

Last year, Ms Ho organized her version of one of the most important Okinawan cultural events, called Shimi.

Shimi is a memorial event, and families and relatives visit their ancestors' grave all together, then have a picnic in front of the grave.

"I don't know what I can do, but I'd like my kids to know more about our culture and traditions. It's sad if they grow up without knowing about it", Ms Ho said.

"I don't want to get too serious about this. I just hope we can have a good time together, just like I did in my childhood."

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kumiko Ho started reenacting Okinawan traditions in Sydney. The photo was taken at her version of Shimi Festival in Okinawa.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kumiko Ho started reenacting Okinawan traditions in Sydney. The photo was taken at the her version of Okinawan Shimi Festival, held in Sydney. Source: Kumiko Ho