Pa Then ethnic people perform amazing fire dancing

Thứ Tư, 07/03/2018, 16:24
PSNews – The fire dancing festival is a unique cultural event of the Pa Then ethnic minority group, demonstrating the strength and desire of the local people to control the nature.
The fire dancing festival of the Pa Then people is held every year after harvesting. It starts from the October 16th to January 15th of the next year according to lunar calendar. 
During the elaborate worship rituals,  the shamans offer sacrifices, including an iron instrument, a cooked pig, a bowl of uncooked rice, 10 cups of wine and special votive paper made by the Pa Ten people for worship.
After the shaman’s order, people light a large bonfire to start the festival.
The supreme god of the Pa Then ethnic people is Fire God as they believe fire brings good luck to them. Therefore, all people of the village gather around the large fire before fire dancing starts. There are often 8 to 10 young Pa Then men chosen to officially participate in the festival.
When the rituals start, those young men in bare feet dance in the middle of the fire. Some even scoop up pieces of hot charcoal with their hands to either throw them into the air or chew them in their mouths. They like eagles with their wings spread out glide through the fire in the cheers of excited audiences.
According to the Pa Then people’s annals, the fire dancing teaches the people how to overcome the fear; and only strong men are selected to jump into the fire.

The fire dancing festival is also a spiritual activity, demonstrating the extraordinary power of human when facing dangers as well as evils and illnesses. It is also to celebrate the harvest and pray for prosperity.

Interestingly, young dancers in bare feet dance on fire but their hands, feet and other parts of their bodies are not burnt or injured.
By An Nhien