Celebrating the Year of the Horse, more than 440 people enjoyed the Feb. 16 Chinese Lunar New Year Party at UNMC’s Student Life Center.
Three Omaha Chinese restaurants — Ground Fortune, Tokyo Kitchen and Tsing Tao — catered the eight entrees of traditional Chinese cuisine. The foods symbolized Chinese hope for good fortune and prosperity in the coming year. Dishes included fish (good fortune), Nian Gao (special rice cake for progress) and chicken (good luck).
The majority of the crowd was Chinese — students and faculty from UNMC, Creighton, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and members of the Greater Omaha Chinese community.
Hui Shen from Creighton University and Xiaoguang Liu from UNMC hosted the program presentations. Steven Daubendiek, international advisor in UNMC’s office of International Studies and Programs, gave a speech on native Chinese culture. He has visited China six times, each trip lasting two-to four-weeks, and annually escorts a tour group through the country.
The keynote speaker, John Chan, M.D., professor in the department of pathology/microbiology, shared experiences from his 27 years in the United States.
Bob Bartee, executive assistant to the chancellor, welcomed the crowd on behalf of Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., and UNMC.
First-graders from the Omaha Chinese School sang songs and performed skits in English and Chinese. Two second-graders told a folk tale of good luck and humility. The Omaha Chinese School was established in 1998 by 12 Chinese parents who wanted to help their children maintain their native language and cultural roots, while continuing their education in Omaha public schools. There are now two classes of 12 children each who meet every Saturday at the Millard Public Library. The party was an opportunity to showcase how well the children are maintaining their cultural and bilingual understanding.
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Following the dinner and presentations, the adults and children enjoyed basketball, pingpong and badminton, while others danced to Chinese popular music and performed karaoke. There also was a screening of a Chinese news video of a 2002 New Year’s Eve celebration in Beijing.
Photos (in descending order): Omaha Chinese School students perform a bilingual song and dance routine; Bob Bartee, left, with John Chan, M.D.