A fire dancing festival is reenacted in Huoi Sau village, Pa Tan commune, Nam Po district, Dien Bien province on November 21, as part of the target programme for cultural development 2018.

Traditionally, the festival is held between the end of the year and early spring. Each family holds it every two or three years from the 1st day to the fifth day of the first lunar month to pray for peace and prosperity. 

The shaman will pray the lunisolar hexagrams for young men who want to take part in the fire dance. If the fire god agrees, they will rush into the red coal pile. 

The fire dance is only for males who are deemed strong, skillful, and agile. Each person usually dances for about 3-4 minutes before returning to the altar. 

The ceremony usually lasts for several hours. 

Dien Bien is home to over 6,000 Dao ethnic people, accounting for over 1 percent of the province’s total population, mostly in Muong Nhe, Nam Po, and Tua Chua districts. In Huoi Sau village, there are 95 Dao ethnic households with more than 430 people.

Dao ethnic people’s fire dancing festival is not only a religious ritual, but is a life lesson for them on bravery and chivalry Fire dancing festival is often held from the first to the fifth days of the first lunar month each year The festival gathers Dao people within the district at all ages It begins with the sorcerer’s ritual It begins with the sorcerer’s ritual It begins with the sorcerer’s ritual It begins with the sorcerer’s ritual Listening to the sorcerer, these young men are poised to jump over the coal fire The flame burns brightly but it does not affect the dancers on their bare feet A drum with a surface made from buffalo skin is used to offer a perfect beat to encourage people to sway

VNA