by Jia Ying Chia
While it may be the Year of the Rabbit, local dive company Poni Divers made sure to keep their focus on the beauty of the underwater world, and making history at the same time, with the first underwater Lion Dance performed at open sea, being successfully carried out on the 23rd January this year.
The lion dance is a traditional Chinese performance that symbolises good luck and fortune, and is typically performed on land during festivals and celebrations. With a total of 14 divers, 10 snorkelers and 1 freediver taking part, the performance began with two lions on land from the Unity Charity Association and transitioned to the team of expert divers dressed in the traditional costume for the underwater choreography at Pelong Rocks.
Mohd Tahsin Wong, CEO of Poni Divers, said that “not only will this be a once in a lifetime opportunity for our divers to see a lion dance underwater at the open sea, but it will also showcase the importance of marine conservation and the need to protect our oceans”, adding this would help but put Brunei on the map as a pioneer of exciting underwater diving community events. The feat also was commemorated by the award of two certificates from the Brunei Book of Records.
