Chingay Blast From The Past

CHINGAY IS A street parade held every year in Singapore during Chinese New Year. It was inspired by the original festival in China when giant, elaborately decorated floats would form a slow procession along the streets, while dolled-up children waved to passersby below from their perch.

After the ban of firecrackers in 1972, the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had suggested a Chingay parade as an alternative. It made its debut in 1973, involving 2000 performers including big-headed 'dolls', lion dancers, stilt-walkers and flag-bearers holding up flags that were 6m long. The procession was led by a huge float of an ox, which was the zodiac animal f…