Drums, Dragons and Red Lanterns

There’s lots of Chinese New Year in the air!

Dragons filled Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour on Sunday as people celebrated Chinese New Year – the Year of the Fire Horse – alongside the Western Australian Dragon Boat Festival.

Before I saw them, I heard them – the deep, insistent boom of Taipo drums rolling across the water, reverberating off the hulls of the fishing vessels.

Dragon Boats, decorated with dragon heads and tails, raced in the harbour as crews paddled in sync with pounding drums. At the signal, both boats sped toward the finish line, their drummers setting the crucial rhythm.

A Taipo drumming troupe performed to a huge crowd. The sound was loud and physical; you could feel it in your chest.

The Dragon Dance was mesmerising, a troupe of skilled performers carried the ornate dragon – its body a riot of red, gold, green and yellow silk. Poles lifted the body in flowing sequences; the lead performer guided the dragon’s magnificent head through sweeping arcs and spirals.

Over at Bather’s Beach, two giant inflated dragons sat on the grassy area at the children’s area.

This festival is always a day of celebration and togetherness.

Words and pics by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey.

Jean Hudson is our Shipping and Sailing Correspondent and also a regular feature writer, reviewer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may also like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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