Goats in the Year of the Pig

In addition to revealing how utterly brainless I am, these silly HATposts serve other purposes, too. They reveal a larger, more significant part of who I am as a Vietnamese American straddling multi-cultural existances on a daily basis. Many of my peers and many of the older generation do not remember what it is like to be Vietnamese. It's surprising that they even get together for family meals when Tet comes around. This is tragic. Tet is intrinsic in the culture of the Viet people. Anyone who comes home for one day and leaves the next -- in their "observance" of the new year -- has forgotten the traditional customs and symbolism of Tet. The celebrations used to be weeks on end. At leat 7 days of visiting one another's homes, well-wishing, feasting, celebrating, etc. It felt necessary to forget old debts and begin anew. It was important to await the new year -- a new beginning -- with generations of young and old sitting in the same house, which has been swept, dusted, mopped, washed, and painted, inside and out. Even now, I forget most of these customs. I forget that the first person to enter my home on the first day of the new year should be someone who will bring me luck. I don't bother putting up signs of newness and rejuvenation. I even forgot to look for those signs. And in this voluntary and intentional neglect, I lose a bit of myself year after year.

I'm often asked if I celebrate Chinese New Year. The answer is, yes, I celebrate the lunar new year. It is easy to forget that the lunar new year is an important part of the Vietnamese culture and many other cultures in S.E. Asia that have been culturally influenced by the Chinese. But, looking at me and how I live, does it even appear like I celebrate Tet? It's impossible to tell. The outward appearance have lost their -- distinctiveness. And distinction.

That said, I'm getting off my platform so that I can post the following from the website Lunar New Year Vietnam Style:

In Vietnam, the calendar was devised based on the regularly changing phases of the moon. Most Vietnamese, even city dwellers and overseas Vietnamese, have a lunar calendar in their homes to consult for festivals and auspicious dates. Because of the use of the lunar calendar, the actual days of the New Year vary from year to year.

The equinoxes and solstices that marked the beginning of the European seasons were taken as the midpoint by the Asian calendar with the result that each Vietnamese season begins six weeks earlier than its European counterpart.

Each year is "sponsored" sequentially by one of the twelve animals of the Vietnamese zodiac: the rat comes first, then the buffalo or ox, followed in order by the tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, cock, dog, and lastly, the pig. Of these animals one is mythical (the dragon) and four (rat, tiger, snake and monkey) are wild, shunning contact with humans. Seven are domesticated. Every twelve years, the sponsorship reverts to the same animal. For example, the years 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 are dragon years.

In addition the Vietnamese use another set of names by repeating a cycle of 60. The 60-year cycle is made up of combinations of the twelve animals representing the earthly signs of the Vietnamese zodiac and ten heavenly or celestial signs usually called "stems". The Asian calendar forms a cycle of 60 years similar to the western century of one hundred years. The 60-year cycle begins when the first of the twelve zodiac signs is joined with the first of the ten celestial "stems". When each of the ten "stems" is matched with an animal, the result will be 60 different sets. The celestial "stem" attached to the zodiac animal provides modifying influences on the characteristics of the animal. For example, the year of the dog sign can be "modified" by each of ten different associated "stems".

Now, if some of you have seen my Blogger profile, you'll notice that it says I'm a sheep. Well, that is not so. As one of my dear friends from VN has pointed out, I am not a sheep but a goat, unless I've decided to add another animal to the Zodiac. Since I'm not very creative or influential enough to do that, I'll have to explain. I am in fact a goat: con De. In fact, calculated in the Vietnamese zodiac, I am the age of "Ky Mui." It is interesting to know about the Viet way of profiling and identifying ourselves. It is a way of knowing yourself and knowing your neighbors. (And your enemies.) Why? Because, as you've already heard me say, we are a communal people, or we'd like to believe that we are. We are descendants of mystical dragons. We have forged centuries of culture and despite being dispersed throughout the world, have made our mark on every continent. My mark is that of the goat. I am a part of all other Goats out there. (Find your zodiac animal.)

So, if you are a Ky Mui, this is what the website says about us:

Personality:An artist in your soul, you are gentle and peaceful, a fine aesthete who loves the touch of the noblest materials under his feet. Work bores you, and idleness you adore! Your ideal: to have someone take care of you. You dream of living under the protection of a prodigal patron who would let your creative talents bloom with no material constraints. You love working with your hands when it concerns art but hate anything to do with work associated with daily life around the house. You are looking for the right person to take care of you, make decisions for you, flatter you and take you to a silky, green field every day. The imaginary universe that you live in is very far from reality where "everything is but luxury, beauty, calm and voluptuousness...". When you come back to earth, you fall into a dark pessimism, are very stubborn, capricious and can pout. Your over sensitivity is only matched by your sluggishness. When conflicts arise you take cover until the storm has passed; you never even think of ramming your adversary with your horns. You usually win your fights because your perseverance and your natural charm are endearing. Your fault: You are an easy mark for wolves.

Work: You excel in creative, artistic fields and in anything to do with the theater or putting on a show. You have a purely conceptual mind that likes to be surrounded by realistic collaborators who will take care of the books and the commercial side of things because management isn't your field of predilection. You want neither power nor honors. You are at ease in the thick of things, far from the decision-makers. You work in a bubble with an excessive desire for perfection.

Money: You will gladly spend the money of others! You know how to surround yourself with benefactors who believe in your talent and know how to show it. You don't run after money and are capable of paying four times too much for an object without batting an eye. You have holes in your pocket and you are terrible at managing your money. Who cares! You live in a universe where good taste rules, either because you have money or are resourceful. You could transform any stable into a palace from the Arabian Nights!

Love: Anxious and dependent, you can't live without love. You need a companion that can protect you, is tender and will shower you with attention. Fights at home and raised voices make you extremely anxious. An ideal love, you are faithful and happy in an atmosphere of calm and security. To seduce you, your partner must be romantic and gallant, and invite you out to cultural events. Above all, they should never give you an ultimatum or look as though they want to leave you. In this case, you will be the first to leave the prairie!

You will be happy to know, my friends, that we Goats are compatible with Cats, Horses, and Pigs, and very incompatible with Buffalos. Please also note that we are "easy mark for wolves." Beware of wolves.