Hanoi (VNA) - The “Nhay lua” (fire jumping)ceremony of the Red Dao ethnic minority people in the northern mountainousprovince of Ha Giang has been listed as a national intangible heritage.
The traditional ritual is held from the second tofifth day of the first lunar month.
For the Red Dao, fire not only represents an image ofcosiness and a successful harvest but is also a means of avoiding demons anddisease, via a prayer ceremony. The ceremony lasts for several hours, with a number ofshamans worshipping the Fire God for luck, happiness, health, and peace. YoungRed Dao men dance in a coal pile without fear and come away unscathed. They alsokick up the coal pile to startle those watching.
The fire dance is only for men who are strong, skilled,and agile, and each usually dances for a few minutes. The firedance festival is not only a unique cultural activity but also a wild andmysterious cultural practice in need of research and conservation.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also listedthe salt-making craft in the Mekong Delta’s Bac Lieu province and 22 othertraditional practices as national intangible heritages./.