| Fizah HAB |
INTERNATIONAL School Brunei (ISB) was awash with the colour red yesterday, as it hosted its annual Chinese New Year assemblies, showcasing the learning of Chinese language, culture, customs and traditions through song, dance and drama.
In attendance at the event was Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah.
With the whole school arriving dressed in red, the assemblies began with the reception and the Year 1-2 students waiting in the theatre, anticipating the opening address by Primary Principal, Darren Sibley.
In his address, Sibley reminded the students of the significance of the traditional Lunar New Year celebrations for the Chinese community, which is well represented both in Brunei and the ISB student body.
He then handed the stage over to the Mandarin Foreign Language Department, which already had performances lined up involving all the primary year groups.
Throughout the day and over four staggered assemblies, students from reception all the way to Year 13 were treated to a number of performances by the Mandarin Language students in each year group.
A celebration of diversity and globalism, the performances involved students from a range of nationalities – Chinese, Korean, British, Indian, Australian, South African, Jamaican and more – all performing in the Mandarin Language.
ISB said in a statement, “It was an excellent opportunity to celebrate multicultural respect and tolerance – an idea ISB stands firmly behind – where the performances included many standards from Chinese traditions, including the song Xin Nian Niu Yi Niu, a pom-pom dance, various fan dances, a tambourine dance, a Chinese New Year open house skit, the singing of Chinese New Year songs, and of course, the ever-popular lion and dragon dances.”
