By Tony Deyal
The great calypsonian, Trinidadian the Mighty Popo (Reginald Blondell Alphonse), was the first person to sing about a Snake which grabbed onto a thief and “take him, in the bag, and the snake hold him, in the bag.”
Fortunately, it was not like when a man’s wife told him to pack up his bag and get out of their house. As he walked through the door she screamed loudly: “I hope you spend the rest of your life in misery and pain!” The husband, already upset, responded: “Make up your mind woman. One minute you telling me to get out, and now you want me to stay.”
My column today is about a different kind of snake altogether. It is the Year of the Snake. It started a few days ago and the vibes are all about renewal and regeneration. This, for folks like me, is the Lunar New Year (better known as the Spring Festival) which includes the Chinese New Year, Seollal in Korea, Tel in Vietnam and more. If you have the funds, go out there since it started only one week ago on Wednesday, January 29 and already the two weeks of parties, customs and feasts have been going full throttle, bustle, and bottle like the American presidents, Bush, Trump and Clinton.
However, before we get to them, especially Trump, we need to look at the context. According to the experts, although the Snake may get a bad rap in the west of the world, most of the rest, especially those in the Eastern hemisphere, consider the Snake a celebrated and revered sign. This year of the Snake is expected to be one of positive transformation as people “slither” into new beginnings. It’s all about “shedding toxicity in personality and in character traits”.
In other words, it is a time for shedding our ego, letting go of the past, and most of all, letting go of love lost. As one of the best know experts, the Asian and Asian American professor, Jonathan H. X. Lee says: “This is the year where that kind of growth – personal and macro, internal and external- is very much possible.” For him, Snake is an auspicious sign for inner work, whether it’s releasing unrealistic expectations of loved one or getting rid of bad habits.
The Snake, which matches up with people who were born in 1941 and every twelve years after, is mostly associated with intelligence, resilience and love. Lee says that people born in these years are thought to do “whatever it takes to accomplish a goal.” When I first read this, I thought he was talking about the great Super Bowl this Sunday. But when I read that Donald Trump will become the first sitting president to attend this game, I was not sure.
The fact is that three of the US presidents Trump, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were born in 1946, the Chinese Year of the Dog. According to Chinese astrologer and feng shui practitioner, Louis Wong, Trump is a typical Fire Dog: hot-tempered, talkative and not in harmony with others. This will work against him in what will be a difficult year ahead. The next 12 months, the Year of the Fire Rooster, will not be an easy one. Another feng shui master, Chen Shuaifu, head of the Chinese Feng Shui Association which has more than 50,000 members added, “The Year of the Rooster will be difficult for him. He might be forced to resign if the worst-case scenarios happen.”
While waiting for the worst-case scenario to happen, especially with the extra cost of Chinese products to the US and their retaliation, one of my friends joked: “I don’t like this Chinese New Year celebration because they tend to Drag-on.” Given that I have a lot of Chinese friends, I am a “Dragamuffin”. I get a lot of positives from friends like, “Gong Xi Fa Cai”. The is “Wish you enlarge your health.” At this stage of my life, enlarging any part of my body but one is not my choice of going to health or hell.
Another sent me, “Xin nian hao!” or “I hope the Lunar New Year brings you much health and happiness.” I could drink to that and pray even. At first, I got upset with another one when he sent me, “Gong hei fat choy.” “Who the hell you calling fat?” I asked. He explained that he didn’t mean anything bad. In fact, he sees me as a very special person and wishes me prosperity.
However, the snake in the wishes was special. One wished me, “Like a snake slithering forward, may you glide through 2024 with purpose and ease. Happy Lunar New Year to you!” Another wrote, “It’s the Year of the Snake, so like the reptile, I hope you can shed whatever isn’t serving you in the New Year.” Another buddy from school days in the US sent me, “It’s official- the Year of the Snake is here. And with it, a chance to let go of whatever is old from last year and enter a period of growth and renewal.”
I told him, “But not my wife you hear!” Another came up with, “Let the wisdom of the serpent bring you into this joyous year of the Snake ahead. Happy New Year.” I had to tell him that there is certainly no joy if you have a snake in your head. The only one who made it sound good, was a female friend from very early schooldays in Trinidad. She said, “In the 12 months ahead in the year of the Snake, I hope all your dreams come true.” I made it clear, “I like this. These dreams include you of course!”
It is true that the Snakes symbolise intelligence, mystery and renewal and are known to have an innate potential to be very successful, mainly because they can think outside the box, and they will also endure and persevere. Dr Xuan Wang, a senior lecturer in Chinese studies at Cardiff University, said: “People don’t just believe if they were born in the Year of the Snake that’s all they are. They make use of these symbols to help them, to recognise themselves. But very importantly, use this zodiac sign to look at the year ahead.” In my case, what always makes me feel really pleased in any year of the Snake, is that as a Rooster, having been born in 1945, I am one of two “friends” or “animals” who are closely linked to the Snake. The other is the Ox.
One expert Chinese master told me that as a Rooster I would find a suitable partner or even get married in 2025. I responded, “Quiet!! Don’t let my wife hear that please otherwise I will be a wood roaster and not a rooster.”
*Tony Deyal is a Leo as well as a Rooster. Any time he disagrees with the Chinese Zodiac he switches to being a Leo in the local and regional newspapers.
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