To Become a Lion

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To Become a Lion

I was born in Sydney, Australia, as the only child of parents who immigrated from China with little financial security or knowledge of English. I spent most of my childhood in Sydney’s Chinatown, by my mother’s side during school holidays as she worked the checkout at a Chinese supermarket.

As a child I was mystified by the magnificent lions that would appear, as if from nowhere, on the streets of Chinatown and the Sydney suburbs. I would watch with awe as they performed elaborate dances during cultural events.

My work as a filmmaker is dedicated to Australian immigrant communities like the one I grew up in. When I was commissioned by the Powerhouse Museum to direct this short documentary, I discovered that almost every Asian person I spoke to has a friend or a family member in the lion dancing community.

The commitment of lion dancers to their craft is astounding, and I want to draw attention to the people inside the performance, people who dedicate a significant part of their lives to this tradition.

David Ma is a Chinese Australian filmmaker based in Sydney.

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