(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate in the annual Christmas parade held in Te Aroha, a beautiful rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand, on December 19, 2020. Te Aroha means “love flowing inland” in Maori. Practitioners were the only ethnic Chinese group, and their dragon dance and waist drum team won waves of applause. Their messages about Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and returning to tradition won people’s hearts.
Te Aroha, a beautiful rural town in New Zealand
Practitioners participate in Te Aroha's Christmas Parade on December 19, 2020.
Ms. Allison Ward, one of the parade organizers, was amazed by the practitioners’ entry in another town, Matamata’s, Christmas parade. “Their costumes looked colorful and bright. Their whole performance looked so well coordinated. It’s truly peaceful. That’s why I invited them to our parade,” she said.
Marie Davis, a local resident, said she was impressed by the waist drum dance and dragon dance. She said, “I heard many people asking where they were from. They shined before my eyes. Their bright costumes and dances looked great! This is the first time a Chinese group has participated in our parade.” Holding an introductory flyer about Falun Dafa and a paper lotus flower, Marie said she would read more about Falun Dafa on the Internet.
Tash and her family came from Tauranga to watch the parade. She and her two sons kept praising the waist drum dance and the dragon dance. They were excited to see these traditional Chinese dances in the parade for the first time.
