Chinese New Year in Lae, 1968 and 1970
 

Who remembers New Year in Lae when the dancing dragon would visit each tradestore and weave his magic to the thundering roar of enormous strings of fireworks, and the beating of drums from the support vehicles.

The courage the young men of that time displayed when dancing under the fireworks still sticks in my memory.

Does this still happen each year?

Immediately after the fireworks 1968.

I vividly remember the smell of the fireworks, the great clouds of smoke, and scavenging through the piles of red paper for unexploded crackers.

Scott and Craig Martin watching the fireworks, Lae 1968

Crowds following the Dragon, Lae 1968.

Can anyone tell me which street this is?

Dragon in full flight, Lae 1968.

And check out the phone number "2042".

Now that's a string of fireworks, Lae 1968.

Lae 1970.

I think the Food Bar on the left used to be Whitton's (or Whitten's) Store a very, very long time ago.

Lae 1970.

Amazing how close the public stood to the fireworks.

4th Street Lae, 1970.

New Year in Lae, late 1960's.

Check how close the young fella is to the fireworks? There is no way that would be allowed to happen in today's enlightened times (workplace health and safety, public liability, etc, etc).