Dragon Boat

Dragon Boat

Sunday, June 8, 2008

On the Charles River, Boston

Welcome to The Wellness Community Dragon Boat racing page. We are a Dragon Boat team of cancer survivors and caregivers. Our team is made up of men and women, who come together to share good fun, friendship and great exercise. When we are out on the water, we can set aside our disease and live life to the fullest as our paddles strike the water together. Our goal as a team is to inspire and bring hope to other cancer survivors. If you are one of those survivors or a family member or friend, we encourage and welcome you to join with us in this popular sport.

Participation on the Wellness Community team is free of charge. No experience is necessary. We provide the boat, paddles, lifejackets and coaching.

Enjoy the festivities at the 29th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival taking place in the Spring of 2008 along the Charles River between JFK street and the Western Avenue Bridge. Come marvel at the brightly colored dragon boats, as they are raced down the Charles River by lively paddlers from Greater Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and as far away as Canada. The festival is sponsored in part by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, United Commercial Bank, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, State Street, Mass Council on Compulsive Gambling, Keyspan, Citizens Bank, the Dragon Boat Festival Committee of Boston Children’s Museum, and more.

This festival, which is the largest Asian American celebration in New England, includes more than 30 teams competing in four categories: open, mixed, corporate and women’s. A special heat is devoted to breast cancer survivors. It also features traditional Chinese arts and crafts by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association; a Dragon Dance; Asian songs, Philippine Cultural Dance; martial arts, Chinese dance and folk performances; traditional Japanese festival drumming and Asian foods. The festival, free and open to the public, will be held rain or shine.

The Legend of the Dragon Boat Races
Traditionally held on the fifth day of the fifth moon on the lunar calendar (late May to mid June on the solar calendar), the Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the life and death of the Qu Yuan (340-278 BC). A political leader of Chu, Qu Yuan is recognized as China’s first distinguished poet. Qu Yuan lost the king’s favor and was banished from his home state of Chu because of his opposition to the prevalent policy of compromise to the powerful state of Qin. In exile, he wrote the poem, “Encountering Sorrow” which shows a great loyalty to his state and its people.

In 278, Qu Yuan heard that Chu had been invaded. In despair, he drowned himself in the Mi Lo River. The people of Chu rushed to the river to rescue him. Too late to save Qu Yuan, they splashed furiously and threw zung-ze (traditional rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) into the river as a sacrifice to his spirit and to keep the fishes away from his body.

Today, the Dragon Boat Festivals are popular around the world. The first US Dragon Boat Festival held in Boston was used as a vehicle to promote Asian culture and a chance to bring together diverse communities from Boston and surrounding areas. In previous years, more than 20,000 people lined the banks of the Charles to enjoy the festivities and performances.

For more information, check out the Festival website at www.bostondragonboat.org or contact The Wellness Community at (617) 332-1919.