A group of youths from Cape Town, South Africa participated in activities on Sunday experiencing Chinese culture and customs with regarding to the Dragon Boat Festival.

The 28 students of a local Chinese language course watched a documentary to learn about the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival.

They also made dragon boat models, made Zongzi, a pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, and made fragrant sachets that contain aromatic herbs -- wearing these sachets can help people stay refreshed and repel harmful insects throughout the summer as the Chinese tradition goes.

"I learned how to make stuff and I also learned how to make something, like how to hang in the car, and stuff. I know how to make dragon sculptures now," said Kaitlyn de Beer, one of the students participating in the activities on Sunday.

"It was very fun. I really enjoyed being able to dive more into the deep history of the Chinese culture, as well as being able to participate in such fine activities and familiarize myself with the Chinese community. It is just amazing," said Tshepisho, another student.

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Among the many versions of the legend, the most widely accepted is that Duanwu is celebrated to commemorate the great poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), who threw himself into a river after the Qin defeated his Chu state. The Chu people were so moved by Qu Yuan's patriotism that they threw zongzi, glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, into the river and rowed boats to drive off fish lest they disturb Qu's body.

The festival reflects Chinese people's love of the poet and also the patriotism that remains the backbone of Chinese culture.