Over the Moon(cake)

September 20, 2021

PRESS RECORD

COMMUNITY PROTECTION

NEWS

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NEWS

ONE PEOPLE, ONE PLACE

BREAKING BOUNDARIES

News Editor Nancy La

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News Writers Karissa Ketter and Yelin Gemma Lee

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news@the-peak.ca

September 20, 2021

MANDATORY VACCINATION

VACCINE WOES

OPINIONS

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OPINIONS

ACCESSIBLE VOTING

ONLYHATERS

Opinions Editor Lubaba Mahmud

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opinions@the-peak.ca

This is not just ancient history either.

People travelling to countries like Venezuela, Congo, and Panama today are required to show their yellow fever vaccine evidence. Schools in most provinces also require proof of a child's immunization before allowing them to attend classes. It is clear the concept of vaccination proof is not new.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture Editor Sara Wong

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arts@the-peak.ca

BY N ANCY L A , N E WS E D ITOR

Food for Thought:

Mooncakes and the importance of reunion

Dive into the cultural, political, or personal significance of food

A coveted Mid-Autumn Festival treat.

ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Marie Umbal / The Peak PHOTO: Renato Marques / Unsplash

While others anticipate fall as the time for pumpkin spice lattes, September brings me a whole different reason to be excited: the Mid-Autumn Festival. This year, it is on September 21. When I was growing up in Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival was a big deal: kids running around on the streets with their own homemade lanterns (mine was Hello Kitty-shaped), pomelos being offered in shrines, and of course, a giant family dinner followed by the consumption of mooncakes.

There are various explanations for the origins of the festival, and different southeastern countries have varying origin stories. Being Chinese Vietnamese, my experience with the festival has elements of both cultures. My father explained that for Chinese people, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of the summer harvest, and to give thanks to the moon goddess, Chang’e, in hope she will bring more prosperity in the

Written by Sara Wong

coming year. The festival also symbolizes familial reunion. According to my father, the saying 人月兩團圓 — “people and the moon are both reunited to form a complete circle” — is iconic for the festival.

alongside the cakes, because the strong and smoky flavours of aged tea leaves cut through the fat coating your tongue from the mooncake. Now you can have another slice without being overwhelmed.

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival is seen as a children’s festival. There are street parades with lion dances, and various figurines made out of rice paste called tò he are sold as gifts — these, unlike mooncakes, are not edible, as I have found out the hard way.

Besides the classic lotus seed paste filling, there are also mooncakes with nuts and ham, or the newer versions of mooncakes made out of glutinous rice which are meant to be eaten cold. These “snow skin” mooncakes can have fillings like red bean paste, cheese, or fruits. I’ve even had one filled with durian and salted egg yolk.

For both Chinese and Vietnamese culture, the essence of the festival is the mooncakes.

The classic version of the mooncake includes lotus seed paste, cured egg yolk, and lots of lard. Despite their heavy ingredients, mooncakes are not greasy or cloyingly sweet, since you are supposed to slice them into small portions and share with family and friends. Pu’erh tea is served

No matter what kind of mooncake is eaten, the quintessential spirit of reunion and giving thanks are what make the MidAutumn Festival the highlight of September.

With the past year and a half being as difficult as it was, sharing (or in my family, fighting over) slices of mooncake with loved ones is a treasured experience.

NEED TO KNOW, NEED TO GO Artsy, local events to check out around the Lower Mainland

SO DAMN PROUD

HARVEST MOON SHOWCASE

WORD VANCOUVER

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES

Sept. 20, 22, 24 $19 for students Annex Theatre

Now until Sept. 24 FREE Online

Now until Sept. 26 FREE Online

Sept. 21–26 By donation Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

So Damn Proud is the opening production of Indigenous-led theatre company Holy Crow Arts.

Written and directed by Holy Crow’s founder Justin Neal, the show is about an up-and-coming dancer, Joanne, who unexpectedly ends her career early. Through comedy, drama, mystery, and more, the audience discovers how Joanne’s estranged brother, Joe, played a role in this life-altering moment. Tickets for So Damn Proud are available via Eventbrite or at the door. Visit the Annex Theatre’s website for updated COVID-19 safety protocols.

Part of the Matriarchs Uprising festival, this multidisciplinary exhibition features Indigenous artists Raven John and Jeanette Kotowich, among others. Each of their pieces is a work in progress and represents the exploration of a relationship between land, culture, and history. Additionally, the showcase includes a “Talking Truths circle” with all of the artists.

For more information about the Harvest Moon Showcase, check out their Eventbrite page.

Word Vancouver’s goal is to promote diversity and inclusivity in the literary arts community. Their program ranges from drag storytelling to a panel discussion on how anthologies contribute to climate action. The festival is also supporting authors with book and poetry launches. Attendees can check out Iron Dog Books for copies of all the featured works in this year’s festival. Visit Word Vancouver’s website for more event details.

In Chinese culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. Traditional activities include composing moon poetry and making mooncakes, both of which are on the garden’s list of special events.

The program also features live opera, storytelling, and the debut of Look Towards the Sun — a collaborative exhibition between Chinese-Canadian artist Lam Wong and Cowichan and Syilx First Nation artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. Check out the garden’s website for more information on these activities and their COVID-19 safety protocols.

ARTS & CULTURE

September 20, 2021

Sherine Jeevakumar

MONDAY MUSIC: SONGS FOR THE DESCENT INTO CUFFING SEASON

SFU STUDENT

Lamenting the end of summer and with it, your summer fling? Curated to the cozy fall season, these tracks are sure to help you prepare for the upcoming cuffing season.

Here’s to a journey from bittersweet goodbyes to serendipitous beginnings.

Courtesy of Paradox

Courtesy of 8123

“Yesteryear Dreamscape”

“Tonight You Are Mine”

By Project Paradox

The opening of this song breathes nostalgia, while also signalling a wistful closing.

Nearly angelic-sounding synths evoke a feeling of hopefulness for the beginning of something new. While parting ways is often difficult, this song reminds us to look forward to the changes that come with the seasons.

By The Technicolors

Brimming with optimism from beginning to end, this track reflects the acceptance that comes with moving on. The bold rhythm and audacious in-your-face vocals work together to create a song that has you feeling like you can take on the world (and win).

Courtesy of Columbia Records

Courtesy of Vlad Holiday

“Nervous”

By The Neighbourhood

“So Damn Into You”

This song flawlessly gives life to the initial bout of nerves that accompany the start of something new. Lead singer Jesse Rutherford singing, “Maybe I shouldn’t try to be perfect,” succinctly articulates the internal conflict of trying to stay true to yourself while trying to catch the eye of that special someone.

As the chorus swells, a smooth beat kicks in, and the listener feels both seen and comforted, making this track a wonderful choice for those snug fall nights.

“So Damn Into You” is an ode to the staggering feeling of being taken by surprise in the best way possible. Vlad Holiday croons, “It started with a bang / Don't know how you got me so messed up / But baby, I won't ever get enough, oh / ‘Cause I'm so damn into you.” Combined with dreamy instrumentals, this creates a sense of warmth, pining, and passion — concluding our descent into cuffing season.

ON THE BIG SCREEN

By Vlad Holiday

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HUMOUR

Humour Editor Carter Hemion

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humour@the-peak.ca

HUMOUR

September 20, 2021

ARIES — Mar 21–Apr 19

LIBRA — Sept 23–Oct 22

Dress outside your aesthetic, go to a new coffee shop, and order under a fake name this week, even if only to feel something other than your existential dread at the thought of impending midterms.

It’s becoming #LibraSeason this week, you sexy thing! You’re an air sign which means you can blow off all your duties for the next month.

Life is but a breeze. Go you!

TAURUS — Apr 20 –May 20

SCORPIO — Oct 23–Nov 21

Stop keeping your feelings pent up! Try out new coping skills like shaking your fist at the sky, screaming into the void, and sacrificing animal crackers to strange deities.

Try something new this week, like dying your clothes with beet juice or drinking a glass of raw eggs for breakfast. Don’t count on it going well, though. You need an ego check.

GEMINI — May 21–Jun 20

SAGITTARIUS — Nov 22–Dec 21

Don’t put the cart before the horse. Actually, don’t put the cart anywhere. Stop shopping online during class and pay attention for once. Your education costs at least four pairs of shoes!

Pretend to be a Hollywood star this week. Buy cheap wine, come to class fashionably late, and tweet something way too personal. Oh wait, you already live like this.

CANCER — Jun 21–Jul 22

CAPRICORN — Dec 22–Jan 19

You can do anything you put your mind to this week, even if it’s writing an entire research paper and three Canvas discussion posts in one night. You’re Can cer, not Can’t cer, after all.

If you don’t have anything nice to say, at least mute your mic to say it. Stop roasting your classmates and come write your petty complaints for The Peak.

LEO — Jul 23–Aug 22

AQUARIUS — Jan 20 –Feb 18

Indulgence. Luxury. Bliss. These are your goals this week. Wrap yourself in a blanket burrito and take a three-day nap on the floor, leaving your earthly perils behind. Bonus points if you buy snacks for your future, well-rested self.

You’ve watched the rise and fall of the nerd’s fedora and hipster’s beanie. Pave a new path by wearing the largest cowboy hat you can find every day this week.

VIRGO — Aug 23–Sept 22

PISCES — Feb 19–Mar 20

Learn a practical skill like whittling wood, embroidery, or local plant identification. It won’t benefit you as a university student, but it’ll make your icebreaker introductions cool. Maybe you can even save grocery money by foraging your salads.

Change all of your passwords to random strings of letters without autosaving. SFU’s systems get hacked way too often, and you can’t keep using “pass123!” for everything.

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DIVERSIONS

Business Manager Yuri Zhou

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

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business@the-peak.ca