Celebrating the Lunar New Year in 1863
Olympia's Chinese residents celebrated the New Year with traditional firecrackers and tea, an occasion marked by a local editor with a mix of curiosity and cultural commentary.
The Chinese residents of our town kept up a continual popping of firecrackers on Tuesday last, in honor of the commencement of their new year. They celebrate in a much more becoming way than some of their more 'civilized' brethren, using firecrackers and strong tea instead of firearms and whiskey. Their hospitality on such occasions is immense, and they kept a supply of tea for the American neighbors who stopped by.
“Their hospitality on such occasions is immense.”
This rare early account of Chinese community life in Olympia contrasts the 'othering' tone of the editor with a genuine appreciation for the community's hospitality. It offers a window into the presence and customs of Chinese immigrants long before the exclusionist violence of the 1880s.
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