![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQllzmIgV3WlDAMeUT5w37Ua41wD6_aUQNmAPuPzgOiHLv8d1YGloDz9_bsJsMatzOZY9wRmZ1m_hfKp34K6mOSbKK9R23uymehs01h90u3LE7NDdZuwiZuDiRq-Iuf1I_TTLU2dcAzqgW/s400/Collages2-1.jpg)
Before the start of New Year itself - which is a two week event! - there is a Lion, Unicorn and Dragon festival in KK. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the skill of these young men as they prance and jump and rear up and seem to nearly fall off the poles they leap over. It's quite an amazing display of talent and strength. You can see the poles in some of the pictures in the collage above. They're quite high and are tested carefully by the lion dancers before they begin to make sure they are stable. Some groups even have members sitting around the bottom of the poles to keep the whole structure steady.
Truckloads of lions and sometimes dragons drive around KK during the two weeks of Chinese New Year, visiting
When a new lion's head has been made and is ready to be worn in a dance, someone with status is invited to draw in the centre of each eye - giving life to the head. Quite an inspiring idea. Perhaps one that would make you think twice if you were invited to do this!
These pictures were taken by Helen Morgan and Yap Cheen Boon at the Lion, Unicorn and Dragon Dance Exhibition in KK earlier in February. There are also a couple that I took at other places.
If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at: ron@astsabah.com or jude@astsabah.com