Shades of Chinatown

PART ONE -"RED"

“He who is to be happy and wise must constantly grow and change” - Confucius.

I had an epiphany on a Friday afternoon as I walked around filming with Jade. The sun had just begun to set, painting the sky shades of red, rays mingling with the roaming clouds to form a picturesque anomaly.

I looked at what resembled a blazing hot flame in the sky, feeling a strong hankering towards an enchanting dream that I still cannot put to words. I heard the cry of a phoenix in the distance. For a split second, the world around me glitched and reality began to swim.

I seem to have been the only one who noticed the gigantic phoenix rise as it slowly spread it's crimson red wings across the entirety of Chinatown. Immense emotion filled my heart as I saw the future, one of prosperity and one filled with intensity. A future of evolution and positive radical change. The future of Chinatown, so bright and exciting.

The round red lanterns hanging from buildings seemed to grow brighter, energising my steps with youthful vitality. All around me, shades of red became prominent. Red, the colour of extremes, the colour of passion, the colour of entertainment, excitement, the colour of presence. Red, the symbol of energy and life forces. Red, the colour of good luck and good fortune.

In my vision, a fire crackled and engulfed us all. Not a fire of destruction, but a fire of growth. This fire has been around for ages; however it does not always burn. It only appears at different periods in time, igniting the rise of the most powerful and prominent societies. This fire as I speak, burns and consumes us all. It burns in me; it burns within every soul on the busy streets. The energy and ambitious aura of Chinatown inspires and motivates this young heart of mine. 

As Chinatown grows and evolves, I too am inspired to grow and evolve and be part of this once in a lifetime journey. The fire is contagious, as it leads to the bright red dragon.

"YELLOW"

Monday, the moon and stars escape, so watch me make my way to the bright estate. Shoes on, 7 am in the morning, on the bus to Port Louis. All around me the weekend disappears and signs of busy life ensue. From Flic en Flac, I take the journey to where the sun shines brightest, my heart is yearning for the yellow funk and community soul. The funk and soul of Chinatown. This is getting heavy, can you hear the base boom? I'm ready! Twenty one minutes until I reach the city, I might just do a naruto run.

The optimism can't be hidden, young people energetic and ready, work the streets like they own the place. Youth and vibrance in full effect. Happiness fills the hearts of passers by. Today the color yellow caught my eye. A color of enlightenment and freshness. All around me, I see the yellow paintings. Epitomes of the creative minds that walk the area. Yellow paintings that signify intellect. Intellect and deeper meanings. Deeper meanings both in the collective and personal consciousness. 

The imperial paint, for fortunes sake, I feel the earth, I feel the excitement, as the bright yellow morning sun pears down onto Chinatown. Signifying youth, signifying vitality, signifying remembrance. Echoing the dream, reminiscing the soul, giving life to the community, strength and unity. 

“BLUE”

The ocean waves rock to and fro, sending a gentle breeze into the shops not so far. Shops of clothes, shops of groceries, and even traditional Chinese medicine. The ripples and dripples echo the Chinatown sentiment, as everybody and everything here is ever evolving, taking new forms. The blue hues and the dragon atop the building, create a sense of fluidity and formlessness. These symbols create thoughts of adaptability. Through every generation and time, through every season and day, the hues and shades of Chinatown reign. The nature and energy of this place is to be ever flowing and ever evolving. I am excited to see the future of Chinatown. 

In the words of Bruce lee;

Running water never goes stale, so you’ve got to just keep on flowing.

Written by Keren Obara 

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