(VOVWORLD) - The “Nhay lua” (fire jumping) ceremony of the Red Dao ethnic minority people in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang has been listed as a national intangible heritage.
 The fire-jumping ceremony of the Red Dao ethnic group. (Source: en.qdnd.vn) |
The traditional ritual is held from the second to fifth day of the first lunar month.
For the Red Dao, fire not only represents an image of cosiness and a successful harvest but is also a means of avoiding demons and disease, via a prayer ceremony.
The ceremony lasts for several hours, with a number of shamans worshipping the Fire God for luck, happiness, health, and peace. Young Red Dao men dance in a coal pile without fear and come away unscathed. They also kick up the coal pile to startle those watching. The fire dance is only for men. Each usually dances for a few minutes.
The fire dance festival is not only a unique cultural activity but also a wild and mysterious cultural practice in need of research and conservation.