Yan Gelao - Inheritor of Wa Folk Song and Dance in Menglian County, Puer 

Yan Gelao (岩格老), born in 1950 in Haidong Village Longshuai Community (海东村龙甩社), Lale Township (腊垒乡), Menglian County (孟连县), Pu’er City (普洱市), is a renowned Wa (佤族) folk music artist. Recognized as a Provincial Representative Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2nd batch), he has devoted his entire life to preserving, innovating, and passing on Wa music and dance traditions.

His signature works such as “Celebrating the New Spring” (贺新春), “Drum Dance” (锣鼓舞), and “The Wa Sing About a New Life” (阿佤歌唱新生活) are widely celebrated, earning him the title of “Ethnic Folk Music Artist”. Over the decades, he has trained seven generations of cultural teams and integrated elements from Wa, Hani (哈尼族), Dai (傣族), and Lahu (拉祜族) musical traditions, making an outstanding contribution to borderland ethnic culture.

Early Life and Artistic Awakening

• Birth and Background: Born in 1950 in Haidong Village Longshuai Community (海东村龙甩社), Yan Gelao grew up surrounded by the Wa people’s rich musical traditions.

• First Steps: At 17 (1967), he began organizing children in his village for singing and dancing, later forming an amateur cultural troupe.

• Founding a Troupe: In November 1973, he officially created the first cultural performance team in Longshuai Wa Village (笼帅佤寨), recruiting 94 local “semi-labor youth.”

• Cultural Base: This troupe evolved from the earlier Haidong Cultural Hall (海东文化室) founded in 1964, and by 2004, it had been active for over 40 years.

Despite limited formal education, Yan developed extraordinary artistic creativity:

“When I was young, I didn’t understand Chinese or arithmetic. But I listened to people singing and dancing in Menglian (孟连县) and Simao (思茅, now Pu’er), then returned home to create my own songs. Everything I composed came from what I absorbed, imagined, and transformed.”

Artistic Achievements and Style

Musical Characteristics

• Multi-ethnic Fusion: Mastery of Wa traditions blended with Hani, Dai, and Lahu influences.

• Self-taught Creativity: Inspired by everyday life, he turned observations into songs and dances.

• Organizational Talent: Beyond performing, he trained and led generations of young cultural performers.

Representative Works

Recognition and Social Impact

• Official Recognition: Named “Ethnic Folk Music Artist” by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture in 2002.

• Cultural Festivals: Since 1978, led his troupe to perform in Menglian (孟连) and later in Simao (思茅), winning wide praise.

• Provincial Honor: In 1980, invited to the Yunnan Provincial People’s Cultural Conference for his outstanding contributions.

• Local Influence: Performed voluntarily across neighboring villages, becoming a household name and cultural leader.

Cultural Transmission and Legacy

• Seven Generations of Students: From 1973 to 2004, his troupe trained seven cohorts of performers.

• Flexible Teaching: Adapted training schedules to farming seasons; emphasized “learning by doing.”

• Ethnic Exchange: Passed down not only Wa but also Hani, Dai, and Lahu dance traditions, fostering cultural integration.

Personal Life and Devotion

Despite health challenges and living alone without family, Yan Gelao continues to be respected by his students:

• Respected Mentor: Strict yet caring, known affectionately as “Teacher.”

• Community Admiration: Villagers regard him as a cultural treasure.

• Social Concern: His dedication to heritage preservation has drawn attention to improving folk artists’ livelihoods.

Wa Music and Dance: Cultural Context

Ethnic and Historical Roots

• Distribution: Wa people live mainly in southwestern Yunnan, especially Cangyuan (沧源), Ximeng (西盟), Menglian (孟连), Lancang (澜沧), and others.

• Cultural Heritage: One of Yunnan’s oldest ethnic groups, preserving unique language and traditions.

• Language: Three dialects (Wa, Barao, Awa) with high mutual intelligibility.

Artistic Features

Representative Wa Performances

• Wooden Drum Dance (木鼓舞): Wa’s most iconic ritual dance, symbolizing their link to heaven.

• Hair-swinging Dance (甩发舞): Graceful and powerful women’s dance.

• Labor Dances: Hunting Dance (狩猎舞), Sowing Dance (播种舞), Pestle Dance (舂臼舞)—depicting everyday life.

• Festive Dances: Celebrating a New House (贺新房), Bamboo Pole Dance (竹杆舞), Coffin Dance (跳棺舞)—closely tied to customs and rituals.

• Ethnic Fusion Dances: Adapted Menglian’s four major folk dances—Gaguang Dance (嘎光舞), Bai Dance (摆舞), Zhengwa Dance (整佤舞), and Bamboo Tube Dance (竹筒舞)—and promoted them across the county.

Cultural Protection in Menglian (孟连县)

• Heritage Preservation: 146 county-level or above intangible heritage items safeguarded.

• Cultural Branding: Famous performances such as “Xuanfu Division Ritual Music and Dance” (宣抚司礼仪乐舞) and “Dai White Elephant & Deer Dance” (傣族白象・马鹿舞).

• Festivals: Four major celebrations—Shenyu Festival (神鱼节), Water-Splashing Festival (泼水节), Gourd Festival (葫芦节), New Rice Festival (新米节)—boost cultural tourism and unity.

• Education: In 2010, the Dai Xuanfu Ancient Music Association (傣族宣抚古乐协会) was established, introducing ethnic music into schools.

• Tourism Integration: Leveraging rich cultural heritage to promote rural revitalization and eco-cultural tourism.

Conclusion

For more than half a century, Yan Gelao (岩格老) has been a torchbearer of Wa cultural traditions. Through music, dance, and teaching, he has:

• Preserved precious Wa heritage

• Nurtured generations of cultural practitioners

• Brought ethnic arts to wider audiences

His life and work embody the passion, resilience, and responsibility of a folk artist, ensuring that the songs and dances of the Wa people continue to thrive in modern times.