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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-25/bendigo-golden-dragon-museum-building-a-dragon/104313678>
"In May, Bendigo’s Chinese community, in fact, the entire regional Victorian
city, was rocked by an act of violence against two of its oldest citizens.
Loong and Sun Loong — some of the world’s oldest and longest Golden Dragons,
who have collectively paraded at Bendigo’s Easter Fair from 1901 until just a
few years ago — were vandalised.
Though the matter is before the courts, it’s hard not to see the actions of the
alleged attackers — who prosecutors alleged in court also damaged additional
cultural artefacts at Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum, Buddhist monument the
Great Stupa and the local cemetery — as racially motivated.
And the community is still reeling.
Hugo Leschen, CEO of the museum, described the damage as “both a slap in the
face and a punch in the guts”.
He says he had both an emotional and intellectual response.
“The emotional response is: How can somebody not feel the way I feel about
these objects? Perhaps not everyone has to love them, but at least there is a
measure of respect and wonderment and awe. How could someone come to this place
and purposefully and consciously do what they did?
“And the intellectual response is: What does that actually say about the
broader community?”
It’s far from the first time Bendigo and its Chinese community have overcome
adversity to ensure these precious artefacts live on.
Nothing encapsulates that fight more than how their latest dragon — Dai Gum
Loong who, fortunately, was not damaged — came into existence.
This is the story of Anita Jack, the woman determined to fortify the connection
between Bendigo’s Chinese roots and the wider community, and how she built a
dragon.
It involves lions, world records and … Richard Branson."
Great story. I have been a dragon carrier for the Melbourne parade in the past.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
