Hualuo Ethnic People

The Hualuo people (花倮人) are a very small ethnic group, a branch of the Yi people (彝族), primarily located in Guangnan County (广南县) and Xichou County (西畴县) in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省). Historically, they were nomadic tribes who migrated south from the northwest plateau, with a deep reverence for buckwheat (荞), their most cherished “sacred item.” Despite being classified as part of the Yi ethnic group in 1958, the Hualuo have maintained their own distinct language, though they lack a written script. For centuries, the Hualuo have passed down their culture, customs, and spiritual beliefs through vibrant dances, such as the Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞), String Dance (弦子舞), and Funeral Dance (闹丧舞), alongside their captivating and mysterious mythologies.

History

The Hualuo people (花倮人) are a branch of the Luo ethnic group (倮族), who have no written language or genealogical records. They have passed down their history through oral traditions. Their ancestors originated from the Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山) but were forced to flee due to natural disasters and social turmoil, eventually migrating southward. After much hardship, they settled in walled villages, cutting off contact with the outside world.

According to the Qing Dynasty (清朝) records, particularly the Hunan Gazetteer (湖南通志) from 1885, the Luo people (倮人) were categorized into different groups based on their geographical locations, with the Luo people living in the border regions of Yunnan (云南) and Guangxi (广西). In 1958, the Hualuo people (花倮人) were officially recognized as part of the Yi ethnic group (彝族), with a population of approximately 2,000 people.

Social Customs

The Hualuo people (花倮人) mainly live in isolated mountainous areas, in the deep mountains at the junction of Guangnan (广南) and Xichou (西畴) counties. These areas are difficult to access and have a harsh environment with underdeveloped production methods. Despite these challenges, the Hualuo people continue to preserve many ancient customs and practices, including their distinct rice farming culture (稻作文化).

Their homes are typically two-story wooden houses built in a diaojiaolou (吊脚楼) style, with the living spaces located on the upper floor. The lower floor is used for keeping livestock and storing tools. In more remote villages, the homes often feature half-built walls with thatched roofs.

The Hualuo people (花倮人) practice primitive animistic worship, with buckwheat (荞) being the central figure of their reverence. According to legend, after a devastating fire destroyed their homes and food stores, an elder found a bowl of undamaged buckwheat seeds (荞籽) in the ruins. These seeds were planted and became the key to their survival and prosperity. Another version of the legend states that the Hualuo people (花倮人) were once unable to distinguish between the seasons and struggled with farming. However, they discovered that when they planted buckwheat (荞) on the first Dragon Day (龙日) of the fourth lunar month, the crops flourished, marking the beginning of their understanding of the seasons.

In addition to buckwheat (荞), the Hualuo people (花倮人) also worship fish (鱼). According to another myth, when the Hualuo people (花倮人) migrated to Manlong Village (曼龙村), they encountered heavy rains and floods, blocking their path. As they were near starvation and cold, a rainbow appeared over the river, and two giant fish swam across, forming a bridge. The Hualuo people (花倮人) crossed safely on the backs of the fish, which they thereafter revered as deities.

Festivals

Qiaocai Festival (荞菜节)

According to legend, the Hualuo people (花倮人) were saved by fish that formed a bridge for them during the fourth lunar month (农历四月). Since buckwheat (荞) is also planted during the fourth lunar month, the Hualuo people (花倮人) celebrate this time as their most important festival, called the Qiaocai Festival (荞菜节) or Buckwheat Festival. It is a day for the Hualuo people (花倮人) to showcase their cultural heritage and traditions.

On the day of the festival, the Hualuo people (花倮人) slaughter pigs and chickens to make offerings to their ancestors and deities. The ritual food offerings must include buckwheat leaves (荞菜叶) and fish dishes. After cooking the fish, they place it on the altar, accompanied by a bowl of fresh rice, which is known as the sending-off meal for the spirits. Following the rituals, they present buckwheat (荞) and other vegetables to honor their ancestors.

Once the ceremony is complete, families gather on the grassland for a grand feast. The men and women, young and old, wear their finest clothes and dance the night away to the sounds of the String Dance (弦子舞) or Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞). These dances are not only performed for enjoyment, but also as a way for young men and women to meet and form romantic connections.

During the Qiaocai Festival (荞菜节), the entire village gathers at the village entrance to dance the Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞). As the Gourd Flute music plays, women form lines and begin to dance in a continuous S-shaped motion, swaying from head to ankle. The movements are simple yet energetic, expressive, and reflect the tasks of cotton farming—such as planting, harvesting, spinning, and weaving. This dance has preserved its ancient cultural essence.

In 1987, the famous Chinese dancer and vice president of the Chinese Dancers Association, Dai Ailian (戴爱莲), visited Manlong Village (曼龙村) to study Hualuo folk dances and praised the performance, calling it “a Chinese version of disco, which should be introduced internationally!”

The Legend of the Gourd Flute Dance

The Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞) has an intriguing origin story. According to the legend, the Hualuo ancestors were once migrating and only one woman, Masuo (玛索), and her daughter, Hongmei (红妹), survived. During their journey, Hongmei was captured by a snake spirit. Masuo mourned the loss of her daughter so much that she lay exhausted in the wilderness and ate buckwheat seeds (荞籽) she found nearby. Not long after, she gave birth to a boy, who grew up quickly.

One day, a strange bird appeared, calling out the name Hongmei (红妹), which the boy did not understand. He asked his mother about it, and with tears in her eyes, she explained that Hongmei (红妹) had been taken by the snake spirit. In his rage, the boy followed the bird to the snake’s lair. There, the bird began pecking at a giant gourd, producing strange and melodious sounds. The boy carved the gourd into a Gourd Flute (葫芦笙) and played it near the snake’s cave. Suddenly, a storm broke out, and the snake spirit twisted and writhed in an S-shaped motion to the music of the flute, eventually releasing Hongmei (红妹) before perishing.

Afterward, the siblings returned home and lived a peaceful life. From that time, the Hualuo women began to dance the Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞) to drive away the snake spirit (蛇精). The Gourd Flute Dance (葫芦笙舞) has since become a living fossil of ancient song and dance culture, passed down through generations.

Traditional Clothing

The traditional clothing of the Hualuo people (花倮人) is made from self-produced cotton fabric and purchased colorful threads. Their clothing typically uses bright colors like red and black, accented by small triangular fabric pieces in multiple colors.

Men’s Clothing

Men’s clothing consists of a green, front-buttoned jacket, paired with loose, wide-crotch pants. They wrap their heads with a green cloth and wear silver necklaces.

Women’s Clothing

Women’s attire includes a short, collarless jacket made of multi-colored fabric pieces sewn together into small triangles, creating a vibrant, patchwork effect. The jackets are worn with long pants and a blue pleated skirt. The upper garment is a right-side closure, waist-length, brightly colored floral shirt, stitched with a pattern called “ant step” (蚂蚁步), and decorated with patterns of bird beaks, eyes, and feet. The skirt is black, reaching the ankles, and at the back, there are triangular fabric pieces and red yarn tassels that form a flowing ribbon. From a distance, it resembles the tail of a phoenix.

The Hualuo people (花倮人) do not have a written language. However, through the skill and creativity of the women, they have embroidered vibrant patterns on their clothing that represent their beliefs and legends, essentially creating a living, unwritten history through clothing. The Hualuo (花倮人) use their clothing to tell stories and reflect their culture.

Women’s Jewelry

Hualuo women (花倮人) wear silver bangles, silver necklaces, silver waist chains, and colorful silk threads. Their headpieces are particularly intricate, with their long hair split evenly on both sides, adorned with wigs and special headbands. The hair is wrapped with a headscarf, and they wear three large red yarn tassels on their heads, forming a triangular shape, with beads and triangular fabric pieces hanging beside their ears. This headgear creates the appearance of a vibrant camellia flower on their heads.

The bold and eye-catching attire of Hualuo women (花倮人) symbolizes their deep cultural significance. The triangular headpieces and patterns of birds on their clothing represent the Hualuo’s (花倮人) totem worship of birds. It is said that during their migration, they were assisted by a giant red bird, which later brought them food after they settled down. The triangular scales on the women’s clothing symbolize mountains and leaves, marking the primitive history of “clothing made from tree leaves.”

Marriage and Funeral Customs

Marriage Customs

The Hualuo (花倮人) still retain ancient and original marriage customs. Traditionally, they select their partners through dance and interaction, but intermarriage with other ethnic groups, including other branches of the Yi people (彝族), is prohibited. Marriage is strictly limited to unions between Hualuo people (花倮人).

Young women live in a designated space called a “Flower House” (花楼) or “Flower Bed” (花床). Late at night, young men and women meet in the “Flower House,” and if they develop affection for each other, they arrange for a matchmaker to kill a chicken and pay a dowry to formalize the marriage. The groom’s family must pay a dowry of three cows. On the wedding day, the groom’s family presents two cows wrapped in white cloth to the bride’s family to express gratitude for raising their daughter. After a few days, the bride’s family gives the groom’s family a piece of cotton cloth in exchange for the third cow. If the bride’s family cannot provide the cloth, they pay with another cow instead. The bride’s family does not prepare a dowry, except for a quilt as the bride’s only gift.

Funeral Customs

When a Hualuo person (花倮人) over the age of 50 passes away, it is considered a natural death. Friends and family come to burn incense and pay respects in a ritual known as “Noisy Mourning” (闹丧). The mourners perform the “Noisy Mourning Dance” (闹丧舞) around the coffin, primarily danced by men. The son of the deceased stands on either side of the coffin, holding a cup of wine to offer to the dancers as a sign of gratitude. While dancing, the mourners squat, twist their waists left and right, and perform rhythmic clapping movements. The hands are kept lower than the coffin to show respect and honor for the deceased.