National_Geographic_Traveller_India_May_2017

“
And the quiet afternoon bursts around us like a
thousand piñatas as crew after crew in dazzling
costumes, dance their way down the steps to a
frenetic soundtrack of drums and cheers”
■ MACAO
tourist spot. This complex is flanked by the Mount Fortress
which houses the Macao Museum, an excellent repository of the
life and culture of the diverse communities of the city.
The clock strikes four and VIVA, the mascot of the Macao
parade emerges at the top of the church steps. As he starts
descending, he literally crosses over a time gate—a portal from
21st century Macao to the magical world of Shan Hai Jin. In
his wake, come the paraders from far corners of the world. They
are the dragons, the goddesses, beasts from Africa’s savannah,
giant serpents, puppets, acrobats, clowns, robots, and more.
Thousands of onlookers including me are gathered at the head
of the city’s Rua de Sao Paulo to witness this moment. And the
quiet afternoon bursts around us like a thousand piñatas as crew
after crew in dazzling costumes, dance their way down the steps
to a frenetic soundtrack of drums and cheers.
The Lions of Senado Square
Meanwhile, there is another prong of the parade that starts at
Senado Square and joins up with St. Paul’s brigade. Not wanting
to miss a single moment, I tail a couple of intrepid photographers
who take it upon themselves to weave through the sea of heads
to make their way back to this point. I find myself behind a
line of whistle-tooting girl scouts who have been roped in for
crowd control. The majestic 18th-century Leal Senado building
towers above the stage that has been constructed for the event.
Originally the seat of the Portuguese government, today the
sprawling two-storey neoclassical structure houses a public
library specialising in foreign languages and Portuguese history,
and offices for the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau of Macao.
This seems like a good vantage point. Just as I position myself
behind a very accommodating little girl with a smart blue beret,
the magnificent dance of the lions begins. They are green, black,
and white, tall, sinuous, and fierce. Each “lion” comprises two
dancers, the body and the head, who move as a single organism
to the beat of a gong and drums. These energetic band of
multicoloured cats lead the way down from Senado Square
through Rua de Sao Domingos past the cheery yellow baroque
church of St. Dominic, dating back to the late 16th century.
The parade snakes past a lovely little bookshop, the Livraria
Portuguesa, which has a wonderfully curated collection of books
on Macanese history, culture, food, and customs along with
some nifty maps, graphic novels, and souvenirs. I cross at least
ten outlets of the Koi Kei pastelaria and each one is milling with
crowds. This bakery specialises in traditional snacks, and beef
and pork jerky in myriad flavours. Enthusiastic attendants tempt
passers-by with generous samplers of their delicious products.
Case of the Drunken Dragons
Back near the ruins, the drama continues as characters from
a Chinese opera descend the stairs. Young girls dressed as
matadors twirling their red capes with panache follow a train of
adolescent boys carrying a giant serpent. Suddenly the air grows
dank with the sharp smell of rice wine. Old men stumble down
the stairs dancing, or rather reenacting an ancient myth where a
village is saved from the plague by a magical dragon. The group
comprises old men and young boys carrying wooden heads and
tails of dragons, and pots of wine. They drink and spit into the
air to ward off evil spirits and propitiate Lord Buddha. A lot of
the wine clearly makes its way into the gullet of the dancers and
as the parade progresses, their inebriation seems to increase
proportionally. Their dance is clumsy, but completely uninhibited.
I follow them, maintaining a safe distance from the alcohol
EPIC TALES
Meet the magical characters from the Chinese epic Shan Hai Jing that formed the theme of the 2017 parade
MOTTLED FLYING FISH
It can fly as well as
swim and represents an
abundant harvest.
QIYU BIRD
This bird with its three heads
and six tails has a booming
laugh and can chase away
nightmares and evil.
THE HAIRY PEOPLE
The hairy people have thick
fur covering every inch of
them and come from
a distant land.
THE TINY PEOPLE
These people come from
a land where everyone
is very short.
TORCH DRAGON
Half human, half snake, this
god controls weather and
the cycle of day and night.
MAY 2017 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA 67