Hualuo people’s Buckwheat Festival: A festival in songs and dances

For many people, buckwheat is simply a food. But for the Hualuo People living in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province, buckwheat is associated with a festival as important as the Spring Festival.

On May 24, dressed up in their traditional ethnic costumes, Hualuo people in the Shibeipo Village, Wenshan set off early. They brought buckwheet seeds and fishes to the centuries-old banyan tree in the village square, preparing for the annual sacrificial ceremony.

Hualuo people are a branch of the Yi people and their tradition of celebrating the “Buckwheat Festival” comes from a legend. It is said that long time ago, a fire destroyed Hualuo people’s village and only left a bowl of buckwheat seeds unburned. The villagers planted the seeds and survive the ensuing famine. To express their appreciation to the buckwheat, Hualuo people celebrate the “Buckwheat Festival”.

During the festival, an elderly villager hosted the ceremony to pray for favorable weather in the coming year. Then, more than 20 Hualuo women danced around the banyan tree in the music of Gourd Pipe. Known for the lively and rough movements, the Gourd Pipe Dance demonstrates the producing activities of Hualuo people.

In recent years, more and more villagers have participated in promoting the intangible heritage of “Buckwheat Festival”. The local government encourages children to learn the gourd pipe and guide villagers in making traditional costumes, so as to pass on the culture. 

(Zhao Lihao, Yunnan Net)