CWA Virtual Volunteer

In our attempts to explore the language as a link, our own William Olphert who is a native Ulster Scots speaker enjoyed an afternoons crack with Anne Blair.

华福会的董事总经理 William Olphert 能说一口流利的阿尔斯特苏格兰语，在与 Anne Blair 的聊天中，他分享了他自己离开北爱尔兰前往中国学习的故事

They explored the links language can create and how it is important to all communities here. William shared his own journey from first experiencing Chinese in school and how that led him to study then visit China.

Ann who is a life long advocate for her native Ulster Scots and hails from the same town where William went to school.

The Chinese Ceilidh Cultural Fusion Event, held in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations, brought together the lively spirit of both Chinese and Scottish cultures in a unique and unforgettable evening of music, and dance. Hosted at the Chinese resource Centre, the event attracted a diverse audience eager to experience the fusion of traditional Ceilidh dances with elements of Chinese culture, creating an atmosphere of excitement and cultural exchange.

A highlight of the event was the Ceilidh dances infused with Chinese flair, where attendees had the opportunity to learn and participate in traditional Scottish dances with a unique twist. Expert instructors guided participants through lively reels, jigs, and strathspeys, incorporating elements of Chinese dance and music to create a dynamic fusion of styles that captivated participants of all ages and backgrounds.

Throughout the evening, live music from Pure Blarney set the pace for the night. From bagpipes and fiddles to tin whistles and flutes a rich blend of Scottish, Irish and Ulster Scots music made it hard to sit still. 

In addition to the vibrant music and dance performances, the event featured traditional Irish Stew.  From food to music Fusion Event served as a platform for cultural exchange and unity, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the traditional ‘hullie’ or ‘ceilidh’. This traditional Scottish and Irish event often help in the winter months was traditionally a great excuse to visit neighbours and come together for a party to dispel the winter blues.  

Dances are called, or instructed so that couples have set moves and positions. Half the fun was trying ….. and often failing to learn these set piece dances!

In perhaps the most noisy cultural exchange ever seen in Belfast drummers from the Lion dance and Lambeg traditions met for a ‘drum in’. This cultural fusion was a first and gave expert drummers from these different traditions an opportunity to learn from one another and play together. The Lambeg drum know locally as the ‘Big Drum’ was matched by the Chinese Drum as they went ‘head to head’.

Both Chinese and Lambeg drums are iconic and influential in the musical traditions and folklore of their own communities. Both drums find their origins in military music, and their role on the battlefield to communicate messages and motivate troops. They then both grew in size and volume becoming unique cultural icons with accompanying music and even dance formed to complement their percussive presence. 

Each drum had given birth to a proud heritage often passed from generation to generation as time is take to ‘master’ these giant instruments. Those who play them have a certain privileged position above other musicians and often begin their lifelong passion at a young age. 

In each case the beat happened out is the lead for other artists. In the case of the drums used in the Lion and Dragon dances they control the movements of the dancers as they bring these costume creatures to life. 

Drums (gu) are a very important part of Chinese culture. A Chinese character representing “drum” was first inscribed on bones and shells about 3000 years ago. The earliest known drums in China date back nearly four thousand years ago, around the time of the Shang Dynasty (c.1600 – c.1100 BCE). The lambeg drum can only traces its history back to the late 1600s AD !

To be very successful in the dance, the head of the Dragon must be able to coordinate with the body movement to match the timing of the drum. The Lion whose head is capable of different movements and expressions is likewise led by the drum beats. 

In the Ulster Scots tradition the beat of the lambeg is set to tunes which can be fifed or piped to and often dancers follow the beat for their intricate steps. 

Given our shared heritage of drumming on a giant scale one of the most exciting and innovative features of the Chinese New Year Fusion Festival was a ‘Drum Off’. We invited expert drummers to learn from each other and bring together their two traditions. From drumming each others drums they also tried their own beats on these very different drums to see what it would sound like. 

The whole exciting experiment was captured for Radio Ulster and was the highlight of the visit. 

The Chinese community were kindly hosted by the Ulster Scots Community Network in the impressive Discover Ulster Scots Centre. The event brought both communities together to learn about each other and explore each other’s culture and traditions. The event included a tour of the Centre, a talk on the origins and heritage of the Ulster Scots community in Northern Ireland.

After a tour of the Centre and their permanent exhibitions a short presentation on the origins of the Ulster Scots community and their contribution internationally was enjoyed by all. It was interesting to see the parallels between the two communities who had made their home here as it was explained that the Ulster Scots were often seen as as an immigrant community here. 

The pipes and drums marked the end of the presentation as different musical instruments, traditions and dress were showcased by the staff. Our thanks to Matthew Warwick of the Ulster Scots Community Network who was not only knowledgable about the history but a great educator as well as talented musician. 

One of the highlights of the trip was listening to our own Rebecca Ng translate the English presentations and exhibitions which were often laced with Ulster Scots words and phrases. She certainly worked hard that day but enjoyed herself. 

In welcoming us to the centre David Gilland explained the work they are involved in and his welcome was responded to by William Olphert who shared his own language journey. Growing up as a native Ulster Scots speaker from the North Antrim coast, he developed a passion for language which led to studying Chinese and eventually brought him to work for CWA.

In the spirit of our cultural fusion theme the Centre welcomed the Success Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe led by Master Alan Liu. His expert drumming set the tone and pace for a traditional dance display.

The Food Fusion Potato Festival held at the Chinese Resource Centre was a remarkable celebration of culinary creativity and cultural exchange, highlighting the humble but versatile potato and its diverse culinary uses in both China and Northern Ireland. The festival brought together food enthusiasts, and the culturally curious to explore the fascinating fusion of flavours and techniques that resulted from the intersection of these two distinct cuisines.

Cookery Demonstration:

A central highlight of the festival was the captivating cookery demonstration, where Bonny Cooper of China Connections displayed her expertise in using potatoes in innovative ways. The demonstration provided attendees with valuable insights into the similarities and differences in the culinary traditions of both regions, demonstrating how the humble potato could be transformed into a wide array of mouthwatering dishes including ‘Granny’s Potatoes’ and the totally new way of stir frying potatoes to produce crunchy sweet and sour potato strips.

Bonny demonstrated traditional and modern techniques for incorporating potatoes into Chinese cuisine. The use of the potato in the wetter colder north of china has created an array of dishes from crispy potato pancakes to savory stir-fries and delicate potato dumplings. 

The audience was treated to a both of Bonny’s potato creations that showcased the versatility of the humble spud in Chinese cooking.

Both main traditions in Northern Ireland also value the potato as a staple of their diet. Indeed no other food has such a central place in Irish cuisine and culture both north and south.  Potatoes have been an integral part of Irish cuisine for centuries, with classic Irish potato dishes such as champ, colcannon, boxty, and potato bread, as well the ever popular chips, French fries, wedges and everyones favourite the roasties.  

Cultural Exchange and Collaboration:

The Food Fusion Potato Festival provided a platform for cultural exchange and collaboration between Chinese and Northern Irish chefs, fostering mutual understanding and appreciation for each other’s culinary heritage. Our audience had the opportunity to engage with the chef, learn about different cooking techniques, and gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of the potato in both regions. 

It was a resounding success, bringing together the best of Chinese and Northern Irish culinary traditions in a celebration of food, culture, and innovation.

Recipe cards

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