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• Jun 10, 2024
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The Fire Dance Ceremony of The Red Dao Ethnic Minority in Ha Giang

The Fire Dancing Ceremony (Nhiang chang dao) is a custom imbued with the cultural identity of the Red Dao ethnic group, demonstrating the strength and desire to conquer nature and master life. This is a very rich and unique spiritual activity of the Red Dao people.

This is a continuation of the Ban Vuong worship ceremony. The Dao ethnic group (Red Dao people) perform the Fire Dancing Ceremony with the hope that the gods will bless and protect their families, clans, and villages to be safe, prosperous, and to celebrate a bountiful harvest. In addition, The Fire Dancing Ceremony also has the meaning of driving away evil spirits, diseases, and bad luck from the old year, praying for a prosperous and happy life when entering a new year. The Fire Dancing Ceremony also demonstrates the strength of people in the process of labor, controlling nature, and fighting against wild animals that destroy crops.

The Fire Dancing Ceremony was born, passed down and became an indispensable traditional ritual of each clan in the Dao ethnic group. At the beginning of the year, depending on the conditions of each clan, the Fire Dancing Ceremony will be held once a year or once every two to three years or more depending on the conditions of each clan. The ceremony is usually held to celebrate the end of the harvest and at the same time to drive away evil spirits, bad things, and bad luck of the old year, to pray to the Fire God to bring warmth, peace, good health, to pray for blessings, luck, for fruit trees to bear fruit and pray for the gods to bless the clan and the villagers with prosperity and prosperity, and for their descendants to be free from illness.

When the pile of firewood was blazing, the shaman asked for the yin-yang divination. With the Fire God’s approval, the shaman would grant permission for the young men to participate in the fire dance.

Before participating in the fire dancing, the chosen people must keep their body clean. In particular, men must not be near their wives and must abstain from sex for at least 3 days.

The boys were in a trance. They danced with their bare feet in the burning coals without feeling any burning sensation or fear.

The images of Red Dao men dancing with bare feet in a pile of burning coals and using their hands to throw the coals in all directions, creating a magical scene at night.

Through the fire dancing ceremony, Dao men want to demonstrate their strength and courage in facing difficulties and dangers in the process of labor production and controlling nature. Fire dancing is not only a happy day for Dao villages, bringing the meaning of community unity but also preserving many traditional cultural values ​​through many generations.

After participating in the Fire Dance Ceremony, young men always receive admiration, respect and affection from Dao girls. Because the Red Dao people believe that fire dancing shows the strength, courage, bravery, dexterity and agility of men.

Each person usually dances around the fire for 3-4 minutes, then returns to perform the ceremony at the altar. One group after another, until the fire is completely extinguished.

The Fire Dance Ceremony is also an occasion for villagers to thank heaven and earth, the gods for a good crop, bringing warmth and luck; at the same time, this is also an occasion to dispel the bad luck of the old year, drive away evil spirits, diseases, pray for favorable weather, a prosperous life, and good health for the villagers in the coming year. It is a spiritual foundation to strengthen beliefs, create sacred connections between members of the community, between people and people, with gods… and this is also an opportunity for everyone to meet, exchange, interact, and enjoy the unique folk songs of their people. The Fire Dance Ceremony is an intangible cultural heritage that plays an important role in the community life of the Red Dao ethnic group.

If you want to directly participate in this unique Fire Dance Ceremony, please contact Pyx immediately so that we can arrange for you a tour to explore Ha Giang as well as the villages here in the most suitable way!