Learning lunar new year

Girl Scouts representing troops from across Orange County rang in the new year -- the lunar new year -- in a cultural celebration Saturday at Costa Mesa’s Estancia Park.

The event, the first of its kind sponsored by the Girl Scout Council of Orange County, introduced scouts of all cultures to how some Asian cultures celebrate the new year.

“In Orange County there is a great contingency of Asian culture,” said volunteer Ann Pham.

Many people associate the lunar new year with the Chinese culture, but it extends to other Asian cultures, such as Vietnamese, Pham said.

A team of girl and boy scouts dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing kicked off the celebration with a dance, welcoming in the spring season.

Girl Scouts Kathy Vu, 15, and Kristine Tran, 13, were two of the scouts who participated in the dance.

“I think it’s cool bringing your culture into another culture, just mixing the two,” Kathy said.

Both girls were born in the United States, but their parents are from Vietnam.

“It’s interesting how other cultures would want to learn about others’ beliefs,” Kristine said.

Following the dance, Girl Scouts set out to explore Asian culture by visiting several booths set up in the park, each featuring a particular custom celebrated during the lunar new year.

“We wanted them to try a little bit of everything,” Pham said.

The lunar new year celebrations are often focused on wishing good fortune to family members and wishing for good luck the following year, Pham said.

As the color signifying luck, red is predominant in lunar new year decorations. Flower blossoms, either of the apricot or peach tree, are also used for decoration in Vietnam, Pham said.

Girl Scouts participated in a traditional dice game to predict their luck.

“It’s an opportunity for them to see how lucky they will be the following year,” Pham said.

At another booth, Girl Scouts stepped up to a zodiac wheel to learn about the year they were born and its significance.20060205iu6qc7ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Kristine Tran, left, Mindy Nguyen, center, and Kathy Vu, right, operform a traditional Vietnamese dance Saturday.