(Minghui.org) The 112th Calgary Stampede kicked off with a parade consisting of more than 100 teams, 11 bands, 21 floats, 700 horses, and 5,000 people on July 5, 2024. There were about 300,000 spectators. The parade lasted for three and a half hours.
On both sides of the five-kilometer route, crowds of people wore cowboy hats, scarves around their necks, and cowboy boots. The center of Calgary was transformed into a world of cowboys. The ten-day Calgary stampede is called the greatest outdoor show on earth.
The Falun Dafa team, representing traditional Chinese culture, consisted of three parts: the Tian Guo Marching Band, a huge golden ship float, and the waist drum team. The band members wore blue and white costumes recreating the ancient style of the Tang Dynasty. The float was decorated with pink lotuses on top in full bloom and purple flags with the words “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.” On the float were practitioners dressed like celestial maidens sitting in meditation while others did the standing exercises. The waist drum team in yellow outfits and pink belts marched to the music.
Practitioners participate in the Calgary Stampede parade.
The audience along the way responded enthusiastically, with some waving and clapping, raising their thumbs, putting their hands together, dancing to the rhythm of the waist drum team, and some imitating the hand gestures of the practitioners on the float. Many people took photos.
There were quite a few Chinese people, and they were also very enthusiastic, clapping, waving, and making V-signs.
Melony Cacungo, a medical device handling technician, said the practitioners’ team was “beautiful.” She further said, “The position of their hands and the pace of their feet when they beat the drums were coordinated and synchronized, and they showed a unique way of playing the instrument.”
While listening to the drums, she said, “I felt a sense of peace in my heart, because the drums were gentle, the drum beats were precise. It gave people a soulful feeling. They themselves were also peaceful, just like their culture. You can see that this is something they are proud of and something they like to do. Such a team is also beneficial to people who watch.”
Andres Amesquita, a small business owner, praised the Falun Dafa team, saying, “It’s beautiful and unique. I’ve never seen anything like it. Everything is in perfect order. For me, this team is the best today.”
He especially liked the colors of the Tian Guo Marching Band’s costumes, saying, “Blue and white are beautiful. In fact, blue is my favorite color. Wow, this is really a unique experience for me.”
He was quite amazed by the float, saying, “It’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen it before. I was surprised. Where did such a beautiful thing come from? A huge lotus with fairies sitting on it, wearing beautiful clothes. It’s so good and beautiful!
“The waist drum team is also beautiful,” he said. “The brilliant colors, the neat formations, all the music, all the drum sounds, are very wonderful. This is a peaceful spirituality that comes from the spiritual world. It is very calm and peaceful, and exists in your soul. You listen with your heart, and it then will hit your soul directly. This is how I feel today. It is unique and touched my soul, my heart, and touched everything about me.”
Marco Carbone, who owns his own company, said that he previously talked with practitioners and therefore had a deep understanding of the practice. He said he knew they are persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their organs were harvested while they were alive. He said that when he saw the Falun Dafa team, he could feel the spiritual world behind it that transcends the secular world, the spirit of Chinese culture, and the uniqueness that is different from other teams.
“White represents purity, blue represents water, and yellow represents glory. They are beautiful and bright colors and symbolize certain meanings. I believe that yellow is the sun, the morning sun, and traditional China is like the morning sun that illuminates the world,” he said. “I see spirituality rising. The world is more awakened now than before.”
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