Writing about the Golden Dragon Parade
One of the options for the undergraduates' 8-10-page research paper, which is worth 40% of the final grade and must be handed in in hard copy in class on Wednesday 5 March 2008, is to attend and document the Golden Dragon Parade. This celebration of Chinese New Year will be held in Los Angeles' downtown Chinatown on Saturday 9 February 2008.
First, check out the official website: http://www.lagoldendragonparade.com/event.html. This gives you the history of the parade and lots of practical information as to when and where it is taking place. You can attend for free. I would suggest you get there well ahead of time in order to observe people arriving and also get a good spot from which to view the floats and marchers. It should be perfectly possible to take your camera and/or video camera with you to document the parade, though as in all crowds, do watch out for thieves. If two of you can go together, perhaps one could use a video camera and the other a still camera, and you could share the AV material for your papers. Using a video camera and keeping it running throughout the parade may well be the most efficient way to keep track of the flow of events, floats, and music.
Here are some questions to think about to help you plan your observations and structure your write-up:
--How is the parade organized?
--Who is taking part? Is it just people of ethnically Chinese descent, or does it seem to be a more diverse event? (Don't switch off and ignore non-Chinese music, or marching bands from local high schools that don't seem to have much to do with Chinese culture—they're an important part of the parade.)
--What is the costuming like? Are people mostly wearing clothes of Chinese appearance, or is there a mixture?
--Are there other Asian groups present also celebrating lunar new year and presenting their costumes, music, and culture? E.g. groups showcasing Vietnamese or Korean culture?
--How many different types of music and dance are involved? What are they?
--What Chinese instruments do you see on those floats or in those groups that are playing Chinese music?
--Can you see ads showing which local businesses and societies are sponsoring the parade?
--Are local TV and radio personalities present? Do local politicians participate?
--Who is in the audience lining the streets?
--What kind of snacks are being sold to the people watching?
--Anything else of interest you notice?
When you write up, include photographs and/or video clips. But make sure they are tied into the paper—e.g. number the photos, and say "The third float had a large sign announcing that it represented people from the Chaozhou region (see photograph #1)."
It's also important just before and just after the parade to track newspapers like the Los Angeles Times to catch their notices and write-ups of this year's parade. There may well also be useful write-ups online, which you can find via Google.
If there are things you are not clear about as you watch the parade, you can always try asking other spectators if they know what is going on.
One article you might like to consult for inspiration beforehand (and after you've been to the pararde as well) is Frederick Lau, "Serenading the Ancestors: Chinese Qingming Festival in Honolulu" (Yearbook for Traditional Music 36 [2004]:128-143). This article looks at another major Chinese festival that has been transformed into a more multicultural event in a large American city.
You are welcome to run drafts of your paper past me before its due date. Remember to check the portion of this website that deals with source citation.