2012: Year of the Dragon
By Sue Ellen Ross Post-Tribune correspondent February 8, 2012 4:38PM
Chinese Student Association President Wang Yang (far right) sings in the opening performance during the 2012 Chinese New Year celebration held at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Ind. | Charles Mitchell~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 9, 2012 3:02PM
When Bonnie McConaughy first received an assignment to write a paper on cultural diversity, the Ivy Tech student immediately called a Chinese friend in San Francisco. After a three-hour interview, she still felt a need to gather more information.
She found the opportunity at the recent 2012 Chinese New Year celebration at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond.
“After our phone call, I went online to see what was happening in our area and I found the celebration here at Purdue,” McConaughy said. “It just fell right into place. I have a deadline for my report and this (event) was close to home.”
More than 500 people attended the afternoon celebration, which highlighted 2012, the Year of the Dragon.
On the agenda were dance numbers, music, a martial arts demonstration and authentic Chinese food. Games and a karaoke session also were offered.
The party was sponsored by the PUC Chinese Student Association, Office of Student Activities, Student Government Association, Multi-Cultural Campus Council, International Programs Office and the Northwest Indiana Chinese School/Chinese Network.
Yao Huang, 23, is a PUC graduate student and also a member of the Chinese Student Association. He attended with classmates and friends.
“I’ve been in the United States about two years, and it’s great that we can share our culture here,” the Beijing native said. “In China, our New Year is very important — like your Christmas Day here. Families getting together and many celebrations.”
Fred and Barbara Farnell of Munster attended with their adopted children Kyle, 6, and Mikayla, 7. Mikayla was part of the singing group from the Northwest Indiana Chinese School/Chinese Network.
The youngsters are of Chinese heritage and their adoptive parents want to help keep that heritage in their lives. Visiting events such as the Chinese New Year celebration fits right in with their plans to do this.
“We want to help keep their culture alive. And attending these programs help us to do this,” Fred Farnell said. “We also get to meet parents like ourselves.”
PUC professor Chenn Qian Zhou is an advisor for the student association and was instrumental in coordinating the event.
“This year, we are doing something different — streaming a video from Alumni Hall to three other rooms,” she said. “This has become a very popular event and we are expecting more than 500. Alumni Hall can only accommodate 325 people.”
Brenda and William Canfield make it a point to attend at least two cultural events each year. The Merrillville couple started their quest to learn about other countries when they retired two years ago.
“It’s true what they say — that our world is getting smaller — because we have so many cultures living in the United States,” Brenda Canfield said. “We are intrigued by foreign customs, and since we can’t travel to other countries, we figure we can find out the backgrounds by coming to things like this Chinese New Year celebration.”
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