Overview of the Festival

• Chinese Name: 澜沧县拉祜族苦扎节
• English Name: Kuzha Festival of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Lancnag County, Puer
• Location: Lancang

Lahu’s Kuzha Festival (the Spring Festival)

Dates: from the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month to the fourth day of the first lunar month (New Year holidays); and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival).

Lahu people have the above two holidays during the Spring Festival. The New Year day is on the first day of the first lunar month, and the Lantern Festival is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The New Year holidays start from the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month and end at the fourth day of the first lunar month for five days. On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, i.e. the New Year’s Eve, every family cooks steamed sticky rice and pound Ciba (a local food made from rice), and the sound of continuously pounding forms a vivid and lively scenery in the villages. After the Ciba is made, people will cut some small pieces from it and put them on farm tools like sickle, axe, hoe, plow, etc. to show their appreciation to the tools for helping people in grain harvest by cutting down trees and ploughing farmlands. Residents in the village will go into the woods nearby to worship the mountain god, hoping the mountain god to continue to bless the village in the coming year, pray for a good harvest of grain and a smooth hunting. At the sunset, the whole family members, men and women, old and young will stand on the doorstep, facing the west and welcoming the souls of the ancestors to come back home for the New Year countdown.

Overview

• Chinese Name: 孟连县拉祜族葫芦节
• English Name: Calabash Festival of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Menglian County, Pu’er
• Location: Menglian County, Pu’er, Yunnan Province, China
• Date: Usually held in the third month of the lunar calendar, around March or April

The Calabash Festival is an annual cultural celebration held by the Lahu ethnic minority in Menglian County. The festival, deeply rooted in Lahu traditions, revolves around the calabash (a type of gourd), which symbolizes prosperity and sustenance. The festival is a vibrant display of Lahu heritage, featuring traditional clothing, music, dance, and various cultural activities.

Significance

The calabash is integral to Lahu culture, used as a container for wine and food, and serves as a symbol of abundance. The festival is a time to honor this important cultural icon, celebrate the community’s heritage, and promote unity among the Lahu people.

Activities

1. Decoration and Attire: Homes and villages are adorned with calabashes and traditional Lahu patterns. Participants wear traditional Lahu clothing, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
2. Traditional Performances: Singing and dancing are central to the festivities. Traditional Lahu songs and dances are performed, showcasing the rich cultural expressions of the Lahu people.
3. Feasting and Drinking: Communal feasts are an essential part of the festival. Traditional Lahu food, including glutinous rice dumplings and home-brewed wine, is shared among families and neighbors.
4. Competitions: Various competitions such as horse racing, bull fighting, and archery add excitement to the festival. These events highlight the skills and sportsmanship of the participants.
5. Socializing and Gift Exchange: The festival is an opportunity for the Lahu people to come together, socialize, and exchange gifts. It strengthens community bonds and fosters a sense of togetherness.

Cultural Importance

The Calabash Festival is not just a celebration but a preservation of the Lahu cultural heritage. It provides a platform for the Lahu people to express their identity, pass down traditions, and educate younger generations about their cultural roots.

Economic Impact

The festival attracts tourists, boosting local tourism and economy. It provides an opportunity for visitors to experience Lahu culture first-hand, supporting local businesses and promoting cultural tourism in Menglian County.

Highlights of the Calabash Festival

Date: The festival is held on the 15th of October according to the lunar calendar, though it typically falls in March or April.

Main Events:

• Traditional songs and dances
• Competitions such as horse racing, bull fighting, and archery
• Communal feasts featuring traditional Lahu food and wine
• Decorating homes and villages with calabashes and traditional patterns

Join the Calabash Festival in Menglian County to immerse yourself in the rich traditions of the Lahu people, enjoy vibrant cultural performances, and participate in exciting competitions. Celebrate this unique cultural heritage and experience the warmth and hospitality of the Lahu community.

Overview

• Chinese Name: 澜沧县拉祜族新年拜年活动
• English Name: Chinese Spring Festival Celebration of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Lancang County, Puer

The “Kua Ta” (Spring Festival) New Year greeting event held on the third day of the lunar new year each year is a unique traditional activity in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County of Pu’er City. On this day, the county town is exceptionally lively, with various ethnic groups gathering together to sing and dance, creating a grand scene filled with unique folk performances that attract many people from urban and rural areas, as well as visitors from nearby cities and beyond.

Introduction

Local leaders of Lancang County, dressed in ethnic costumes and holding lusheng (a traditional wind instrument), welcome the New Year greeting groups at the entrance of the National Unity and Progress Square while playing and dancing. The greeting group, comprised of ethnic minority compatriots from Lancang County, wears vibrant traditional clothing and brings along offerings such as New Year pigs, rice cakes, sugarcane, rice wine, and tea. Men play the lusheng, suona (a type of horn), and a small sanxian (a three-stringed instrument), while beating drums and gongs. Women sing joyful songs and perform lively dances, with the harmonious sounds of the lusheng, string instruments, and wooden drums creating a symphonic experience. Everyone sings and dances together in a cultural parade celebrating ethnic heritage.

The New Year greeting activity serves as a grand occasion for traditional cultural exchange among various ethnic groups, as well as a celebration of unity, friendship, and harmony among them. In the National Unity and Progress Square, the greeting group and performance troupe enter, joining the diverse local population and visitors from all directions in a sea of song and dance. Lahu compatriots play the lusheng and perform their traditional sway dance, while Yi compatriots play the sanxian and do the three-step dance. Members of other ethnic groups, including the Wa, Hani, Dai, and Blang nationalities, also join in the lively drumming and cheerful singing and dancing, bringing the New Year celebration to a vibrant climax.

Overview

Chinese Name: 西双版纳勐海县拉祜族新米节
English Name: New Rice (Xinmijie) Festival of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Menghai County, XishuangBanna
Location: 西双版纳勐海县布朗山乡班章村委会坝卡囡村

The New Rice Festival, known as “Xinmijie” in Mandarin, is a significant celebration among the Lahu ethnic minority in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. This festival typically takes place in late September or early October, coinciding with the harvest season when new rice is ready to be gathered. It is a time of gratitude, community bonding, and cultural expression.

The New Rice Festival marks the end of the rice harvest and the beginning of a new season. It is a time for the Lahu people to thank the gods and ancestors for the bountiful harvest, celebrate the fruits of their labor, and pray for future prosperity. The festival is rich in customs and activities that reflect the Lahu people’s agricultural traditions and their deep connection with nature.

Customs and Activities

1. Thanksgiving Ceremonies: The festival begins with traditional thanksgiving rituals. Community members offer incense, fruits, and other symbolic items at ancestral altars or in front of household altars to show gratitude to the deities for the harvest. This is an important spiritual practice that reinforces the community’s connection to their ancestors and the earth.
2. New Rice Cooking: The highlight of the festival is the cooking of new rice. Families prepare various dishes made from the freshly harvested rice. Traditionally cooked rice is presented on decorative plates, and it is a time for community feasting, where families and friends gather to share meals and celebrate together.
3. Cultural Performances: Traditional songs and dances are an essential part of the New Rice Festival. The Lahu people participate in group performances featuring folk dances that often depict agricultural life, love stories, and local legends. Musicians play traditional instruments such as bamboo flutes and drums to accompany the dancers.
4. Games and Competitions: Various traditional games and sports activities are organized during the festival, fostering a spirit of joy and friendly competition. Games may include tug-of-war, archery, and races, bringing the community together in a lively atmosphere.
5. Cultural Exhibits: The New Rice Festival often showcases Lahu handicrafts, art, and culture. Local artisans may display their crafts, allowing visitors to appreciate the unique skills of the Lahu people, such as weaving and embroidery.
6. Communal Feasting: Food plays a central role in the festival. In addition to the new rice dishes, people prepare a variety of traditional Lahu foods, including meat, vegetables, and local specialties. Communal dining fosters a sense of cohesion among participants, reinforcing social bonds and cultural identity.
7. Visiting Relatives and Neighbors: During the festival, families may exchange visits with relatives and neighbors, bringing gifts or dishes to share. This practice enhances community ties and promotes goodwill among households.
8. Introduction of Newly Married Couples: The festival may also serve as an occasion to introduce newly married couples to the community, allowing them to participate in the celebrations and integrate into the social fabric of the Lahu community.

Chinese Name: 澜沧拉祜族葫芦节
English Name: Calabash (Hulu) Festival of Lahu Ethnic Minority in Lancang County, Puer

The Hulu Festival, known in Lahu language as “Apong Alongni,” is the most significant festival for the Lahu people in Lancang County. It is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, but since 2006, the festival dates have been adjusted to April 8, 9, and 10 in the Gregorian calendar. During the festival, every village holds grand celebrations with singing and dancing. Men play the lusheng (a traditional reed pipe instrument) while leading the dance, and both men and women participate in the “Gaka” dance. Women play the elephant-foot drum while performing the Bai dance, and young men and women engage in antiphonal singing of folk songs. Various sports and games, such as swing contests, water carrying, top-spinning, and crossbow shooting competitions, also take place. The elders gather around the hearth, drinking wine and reciting the creation epic “Mu Pa Mi Pa.” In the center of the dance ground, a pair of gourds is placed, symbolizing the ancestors of the Lahu people, reminding everyone to honor and remember their ancestors’ kindness.

Overview

Significance:
The Hulu Festival, known as “Apong Alongni” in the Lahu language, is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month. Since 2006, the festival has been held on April 8, 9, and 10. On this day, the Lahu people dress in their vibrant traditional costumes, sing and dance, bring homemade wine and glutinous rice cakes, and gather in the village squares to begin the annual celebrations.

Activities:
Young people and elders play the lusheng, while girls perform joyful group dances. The dances vividly express the stages of life, from plowing the fields, sowing seeds, to the final joy of harvest, expressing gratitude for the sunshine, rain, and a prosperous year free of illness and disaster. At night, a bonfire is lit, and amidst the melodious music and deep drumbeats, elders share their life experiences through song—stories of their mothers’ labor, the challenges of growing up, marriage, leaving parents, raising children, and eventually aging. These sorrowful and beautiful tales are slowly revealed under the moonlight, accompanied by the flickering fire and the steady drumbeats, as if the river of life is flowing nearby, and the once-lost youthful years seem to flow again under the moonlight. For the next three days and nights, the Lahu people continue to sing and dance. When thirsty, they drink rice wine; when hungry, they eat rice cakes; and when tired, they rest. Others continue, using their voices, whether melodious or hoarse, to sing of the joys and sorrows of life, and using their bodies, whether young or old, to express reverence for the gourd, the sacred object that brought them life.

Legend

According to the Lahu creation epics “Mu Pa Mi Pa” and “Shuo Dian Lu Dian,” the Lahu people’s ancestors were created by the heavenly god “Esha” using a gourd on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month. Therefore, the Lahu people believe they are descendants of the gourd, viewing the gourd as an embodiment of their ancestors and a symbol of good fortune for the entire nation. This belief in the gourd reflects the Lahu people’s long-standing close relationship with nature and their survival struggles in the mountainous regions. The Hulu Festival is rich in ethnic characteristics and activities, making it a joyous occasion for the whole community, filled with cultural and historical significance. Every year, the Lancang County government organizes various cultural, sports, and commercial exchange activities during the festival, combining traditional ethnic celebrations with economic development to further enhance the festival’s social impact and recognition.

Origins

The Lahu people regard the gourd as a symbol, representing their emergence from the gourd and their spiritual pursuit of running towards the sun, as well as their wishes for happiness and good fortune. The gourd is seen as a symbol of good luck and a companion in life for the Lahu people. They use gourds to store water, wine, gunpowder, and grain seeds, and to make lusheng. The gourd has many advantages: it keeps water cool, preserves the flavor of wine, and protects seeds and gunpowder from moisture. When traveling, the Lahu people, especially men, always carry at least three gourds—one for water or wine, one for gunpowder, and one for the lusheng. During the Hulu Festival, grand trade fairs are held in Lancang and other places, along with gourd cultural festival activities and large-scale lusheng dance competitions. The “Apong Alongni” Hulu Festival was officially designated as the Lahu ethnic holiday by the 17th meeting of the 9th Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Lancang Lahu Autonomous County. On November 6, 1991, at the “Lahu History Seminar” held in Lancang, the county government and the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Lancang, after consulting the attending Lahu people, decided to officially designate the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, the legendary birth date of the Lahu people’s ancestors, as the Lahu ethnic holiday. Since 2006, the festival has been celebrated on April 8, 9, and 10 in the Gregorian calendar. During the festival, people offer gourds, dance to the lusheng, perform the Bai dance, sing gourd epics, and play gourd-related games, all of which stem from their belief in the gourd. Since 1992, the festival has been celebrated for three days from the 15th to the 17th day of the 10th lunar month. In the “Collection of Lahu Folk Literature,” the origins of the Lahu people emerging from the gourd are recorded in folklore, such as “The Origin of the Lahu People” and stories like “The Story of the Gourd.” The epic “Mu Pa Mi Pa” mentions the planting of gourds and states that the Lahu ancestors Zhaluo and Naluo emerged from a gourd after being pecked by a sparrow and a mouse, illustrating the close relationship between the gourd and the Lahu people.

Travel Guide

Self-Driving Route:
Kunming—Kunming-Mohan Expressway—Yuxi—Yuanjiang—Mojiang—Pu’er—Lancang County, approximately 640 kilometers in total.

Bus Routes:
Kunming South Bus Station—Lancang County: 16:30, one bus per day, approximately 10 hours journey.
Kunming South Bus Station—Pu’er: 7:40—22:00, 24 buses per day, approximately 6 hours journey.
Pu’er Bus Station—Lancang County: multiple buses, approximately 4 hours journey.
Kunming Changshui Airport—Lancang Jingmai Airport: multiple flights daily.

Hulu Festival in Lancang County, 2024

Dates: March 31 to April 1, 2024

Events:

1. “A Taste of Lancang” Culinary Competition
   • Time: Ethnic Cuisine Group—March 31, 2024, 15:00—17:00
   • Location: Ethnic Unity and Progress Square
2. “Hulu Offering, Celebrating Huazhang” Ethnic Song and Dance Gala
   • Time: March 31, 2024, 20:00—21:00
   • Location: Ethnic Unity and Progress Square
3. “Passion and Civilization, Artful Depiction of Fortune and Prosperity” Gourd Painting Competition
   • Time: April 1, 2024, 09:00—12:00
   • Location: Ethnic Unity and Progress Square
4. “Hulu Baby” Ethnic Costume Show
   • Time: April 1, 2024, 19:30
   • Location: Ethnic Unity and Progress Square
5. “Savoring Pu’er Tea, Experiencing Intangible Cultural Heritage” Tea-Making Skills Demonstration and Theme Calligraphy & Photography Exhibition
   • Time: March 31 to April 30, 2024
   • Location: Lancang Xinjie Ancient Opera Stage
6. Trade Fair
   • Time: April 5 to April 20, 2024
   • Location: Happy Lahu Town (Lancang Xinjie), Ethnic Unity and Progress Square

Chinese Source:
http://www.sohu.com/a/131592712_664750
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1597548707478009164&wfr=spider&for=pc
http://www.ynich.cn/view-ml-11111-1170.html

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