The Year of the Tiger
BUTLER TWP — The Maridon Museum rang in the Chinese New Year with a celebration boasting food, drink, dancing and music on Friday night.
Supporters of the museum and members of the community gathered to celebrate and learn more about the Lunar New Year, which is a 15-day celebration in Asian culture.
2022 is the Year of the Tiger, and the vice president of the Maridon’s board, Cyndy Sweeney, said those born in a tiger year are of strong character.
“Each year we celebrate the 12 animals that paid homage to Buddha,” Sweeney said. “The tiger is strong, and each animal is known for a trait.”
One event organizer, Jacqueline Bice, said the goal of this year’s celebration is two-fold: to ring in the new year and commemorate a new exhibit in the Maridon.
“This is one of our first New Year celebrations in the museum. We decided it’d be nice to bring other people in and let people know we’re here,” Bice said. “People in Butler don’t know we’re here.”
While the Jim Cunningham Quartet played lively music, guests mingled over drinks and took in the intricate ivory, jade and ruby figurines and the numerous paintings in the museum space. First-time attenders like Gary Martin were astounded by the artwork.
“It takes your breath away. It’s amazing the art they have here,” Martin said.
During the event, the Steel Dragon Kung Fu and Dance Team of Pittsburgh performed the traditional Lion Dance often associated with the Lunar New Year. Owner Chris Young said while this is their busiest time of year, the dance is used during weddings and celebrations of every kind. The “lion” that dances, is actually a combination of a dragon, phoenix and dog.
The dance space was set with a red bench, a samurai sword and a bowl with lettuce. Young explained that the bench is representative of the tiger and the bowl below is the moon.
“This type of dance is called ‘Fierce Tiger Gazes at the Moon,’” Young said. “It’s typical training along with martial arts.”
The dance began with a series of drum beats and cymbal crashes. Two dancers wearing a neon colored lion headdress and body performed lively dances, including skillful lifts and turns, and one in which the dancer performing as the lion’s head was lifted over their partner’s head.
Corey Relack, one of the dancers, said the hardest part is the lifts in the performance.
“It takes about a year to learn the basics of the dance. This one was more advanced,” Relack said. “It’s part of our training and it’s a lot of fun.”
The lion headdress was illuminated by neon lights and could blink and turn, seeming alive. Toward the middle of the performance, the dragon went around to different audience members who’d drop a red pouch holding a coin in its mouth to bring luck.
The dancers climbed atop the bench to finish the dance, eating the lettuce out of the bowl and throwing it on enthused audience members. Young said anyone hit with the lettuce would have good luck in the coming year.
Martin and Judith Wadding was said the Lion Dance was their favorite part of the evening.
“They were wonderful,” Judith Wadding said of the dancers.
“If I was in charge, everyone would have been covered in lettuce,” Martin Wadding said.
Wadding added that she loves coming to these events to support the Maridon, especially for the memory of a friend who donated the artwork in the museum.
“We love to support the Maridon because we love Mary Phillips,” Wadding said. “That’s the main thing.”
Sweeney said the museum is unique because the art is from such countries as China, Japan, India and Korea.
“This museum (and event) is about opening minds,” she said. “Art is good in every culture.”
