Tigers are associated with bravery, courage and strength, all things one needs during a pandemic. The Year of the Ox brought vaccines. What can we hope for this year?
Experts in the Chinese Zodiac tells us The Year of the Tiger will be about change, risk, and adventure. Tigers are independent and hate being told what to do. That likely means a year where we'll need to be adaptive and ready for disruptions. The Year of the Rat (2020) was about survival, and the Year of the Ox (2021), was about anchoring ourselves in a new reality. The Year of the Tiger has the potential to be somewhat explosive, all that pent-up energy from lockdowns and restrictions ready to be directed.
The Chinese zodiac reflects the East Asian lunar calendar. It's made up of a twelve-year repeating cycle. Each year of the calendar corresponds to one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. The twelve animals are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. People manifest traits of the animal of the year they're born.
Tigers are considered courageous and energetic people; they love a challenge or competition and take risks. Famous Tiger people include former prime minister Helen Clark, Marilyn Monroe, Tom Cruise, Richard Branson, Lady Gaga and David Attenborough.
The Asian Lunar calendar kicks off with the rising of the second new moon after the winter solstice. In 2022, February 1 is the beginning of the Year of the Tiger. Celebrations for the new year are vibrant and last a week to usher out the old year and bring in the new. Typically, there are family banquets and outdoor spectacles featuring firecrackers, fireworks, and often dancing dragons. The major celebrations are held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Many traditions surround the week. Clean the house before the New Year (oops, too late for that one!) and do your New Year's shopping for food, snacks, decorations, clothes, and fireworks. On New Year's Eve, fill your house with lots of red and gold (which symbolise fire, good fortune, and joy), offer sacrifices to ancestors, enjoy a family dinner with multiple generations, and give red envelopes (lucky money) to kids. New Year's Day itself is the day to let off your fireworks, wear your new clothes, and watch lion and dragon dances.
The days that follow are set aside for visiting friends and relatives, including the tombs of ancestors. The fifteenth day is the traditional end of celebrations and is marked by the Lantern Festival. Some people will send glowing lanterns into the sky, while others will set them free onto the sea, rivers, or lakes.
In New Zealand, most large-scale celebrations planned for 2022 have been cancelled to meet the 'red' traffic light requirements, including Auckland's famous Lantern Festival. But you can still find some fun at:
- An online experience of the Lantern Festival athttps://www.aucklandnz.com/lantern/celebrate
- Chinese New Year Celebration in the Waikato -https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/exhibitions-and-events/view/2145883656/chinese-new-year-celebration
To get your Year of the Tiger off to a prosperous start, celebrate well but also set some goals and work out how you're going to achieve them. Get sorting your life insurance ticked off your list for one!
The new year is always a good time to reset. With a year of uncertainty ahead, a dose of courage and strength sounds like something we could all do with. Embrace your inner Tiger.
