Nicole is looking what to choose, her mum and relatives are looking intently.We, the Chans belong to the Kwang Ning dialect group of people from China. We have this unusual tradition. When a child is a year old, on his DOI SOI, meaning double birthday. ( The Chinese consider the nine months the child is in his mum's tummy as one year) we go through a special ceremony.
Put in front of the child are all sorts of goodies, a chicken drum stick and tools of the trade, eg, books, hammer, abacus (replaced by the calculator), a pen, a wad of cash, and so on.
The poor kid is to choose the right item which will depict what his career will be. Naughty Uncles and aunts will tease that the kid is a greedy kid if he/she chose the chicken drum stick, when in fact, it means he/she will have plentious to eat.
A poor mum would not be happy if the kid chooses a hammer which means he will be a labourer.
A wad of cash is self explanatory.
My husband doesn't belong to our same dialect group, and he thinks this is mumbo jumbo. So we didn't have this kind of fun with my kids.
***Here is Nicole choosing her "fate". Her parents were happy. She chose books given by me when she was a baby. They emailed to tell me. May be when I become a published writer, I will say that Nicole chose a good career choice."
Today, my new nephew chose an egg. But I don't think they had the whole display. He had either a drumstick or an egg. Alicia, this is for you.
http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz
7 comments:
When I was a kid my mom used to tell me I was only "l"ooking for trouble :D
PhenoMenon, ABCW Team
http://capturedalive.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/leap-of-faith/
There are so many traditions, most of which have no REAL meaning.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
What a fascinating tradition, I love the idea of it perhaps symbolising what will happen in the future.
Joy - ABC Team
a unique tradition. rather fun, too.
I love this tradition.
What a wonderful tradition, Ann! I know what I would choose.
I always wanted a book.
So you are going to Queensland. That's where my daughter lives. She lives in Cooktown in the outback.
Have a good trip. When are you going?
Funny game! :)
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