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Boom... boom... boom, the village chief's drumbeat rose, adding strength and urging the young men forward towards the blazing fire. It was as if some kind of energy lifted the young man, causing him to leap up on both feet and plunge into the flames. His swaying movements became increasingly forceful.
They bent down, hopped, and approached the bonfire, one pair at a time, jumping barefoot on the glowing embers. The flames even followed their footsteps until the embers died down, leaving their bare feet blackened by the burning coals. This is the fire-jumping scene in the New Year festival of the Dao people of Lao Cai, a spectacle that other ethnic groups find both fascinating and admirable.
According to Mr. Dang Tien Thanh, a Dao ethnic minority and former Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in Lao Cai province, the Dao people of Lao Cai often organize a fire-jumping ceremony at the beginning of the new year to pray for favorable weather, a bountiful harvest, and warmth for the villagers, warding off the cold of the weather. In Ha Giang province, the Pa Then people also have a fire-jumping festival, but it lasts longer, from October 16th to January 15th of the following year.
Perhaps, like the Pa Then people of Ha Giang, the Dao people of Lao Cai share the belief that they are always surrounded by gods who protect and help them overcome dangers and hardships so that they can survive and make a living.
For them, the supreme deity is the God of Fire. The mountains and forests have tigers as their kings, but the king of the jungle fears only fire. Besides its power to ward off evil spirits and demons, fire also brings good fortune, bountiful harvests, and overcomes all other forces in nature in the struggle for survival. Therefore, when the fire-jumping festival takes place, everyone in the village is present to cheer.
During the festival, the offerings include an iron musical instrument, a drum, a chicken, a bowl of rice, ten cups of wine, and parchment paper made from straw or bamboo (a type of paper specifically used for religious ceremonies by the Dao people).
All the offerings were placed a few blocks of firewood away from the large bonfire. Once the fire was lit, the shaman began the ritual of asking for the help of the local deities and offering sacrifices to the Fire God according to the established procedure.
The ritual lasts about half an hour. When the bonfire has burned down to glowing embers, under the guidance of the shaman, the young men of the village (each village chooses a few strong and brave men to represent them) sit in front of the shaman to receive strength from him.
The shaman (or priest) will sit on a long bench and perform ritual songs, the content of which is to open a path to heaven to find the "spirit" and then summon it to possess the people participating in the fire dance.
When Master Tao played the zither and performed the ritual, people saw each young man sitting opposite him suddenly tremble more and more intensely in rhythm with the drums. This was the moment when the members were possessed and ready to perform the fire dance. It was a mystery that the viewers could not yet understand.
According to the Dao village elders, fire jumping is a way to pass on rituals to future generations, dispel fear, and only strong people can jump into the sacred fire. To this day, it remains a mystery, attracting the attention and research of scientists.
While the Coming-of-Age Ceremony recognizes a Dao youth as having reached adulthood, the fire-jumping ritual is a unique cultural feature of their people. Therefore, the festival is considered a form of spiritual and cultural activity, demonstrating the extraordinary strength of people who dare to face danger, ward off evil spirits and diseases, and pray for peace, prosperity, and well-being. The fire-jumping festival remains a unique and attractive activity for tourists in Lao Cai during the early spring days.
