(Minghui.org) Falun Gong, an ancient Chinese cultivation practice, is no longer a foreign concept to many people in New Zealand. After witnessing the peaceful protests by Falun Gong practitioners during PRC President Xi Jinping's recent visit, New Zealanders gained an appreciation for practitioners and their peaceful resistance to the brutal 15-year persecution taking place in China. Most recently, New Zealand residents had the opportunity to enjoy the Divine Land Marching Band, composed entirely of Falun Gong practitioners, in other Christmas parades in Auckland.
On November 29, the Divine Land Marching Band took part in the downtown Tauranga Trustpower Christmas Parade for the first time. Along with the marching band, practitioners also brought a traditional waist drum team to this city of 115,000 residents, southeast of Auckland. Another parade took place the following week. According to the event organizer, approximately 30,000 spectators took in the two parades.
The Divine Land Marching Band in the downtown Tauranga Trustpower Christmas Parade
The waist drum team brought color and excitement to the parade.
The Falun Gong contingent was warmly welcomed by the spectators. A Chinese lady excitedly shouted to the band, “I just moved here from Christchurch, and I have seen you in the parades there. It is so nice to see you again in Tauranga!”
One practitioner said she was happy that the band was able to introduce Falun Gong to Tauranga. “Many people learned about Falun Gong through the parade,” she said. “Some of them were also very interested in learning the exercises.”
