In the magical Xishuangbanna and Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefectures in Yunnan Province, China, there is one of the unique ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province, China - the Dai nationality.
Many traditional sports activities of the Dai people are related to singing and dancing. Therefore, the Dai people are also one of the many ethnic minorities in China who are good at singing and dancing. They express their joy through singing and dancing. Whenever celebrating festivals or welcoming guests from afar, people beat mangoes, bronze drums, and cheerful dances such as "Peacock Dance" and "Elephant Foot Drumming" to express their best wishes. Among the numerous Dai folk dances, the "elephant foot drum" can be said to be more representative.
Dai Elephant Foot Drum has a legendary story
There is also a legendary story about the origin of the elephant foot drum of the Dai nationality. According to legend, in ancient times, the Mengzhe area was a beautiful lake with rippling blue waves. But there are snake demons and turtle demons entrenched by the lake, and they commit crimes everywhere and devour humans and animals. Later, a warrior of the Dai nationality led a group of hunters to the lake, killed the pythons that devoured people and animals, took the skins and beat them on hollow trees and bamboo tubes for fun, thus forming a drum. A few years later, two elephant trainers changed the drum into the shape of an elephant's leg. Since then, the Dai people have had elephant-footed drums.
On November 12, 1998, the Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture Song and Dance Troupe performed the wonderful "Elephant Foot Inspiration" of the Dai nationality for our "Chinese Ethnic Sports Film Crew" in the famous scenic spot Olive Dam not far from the northeast suburb of Jinghong City.
On the square in front of a temple in Yanlanba, more than 20 young dancers performed the "Elephant Foot Inspiration" vividly and wonderfully with the accompaniment of music.
Olive Dam is a place full of Dai ethnic customs. Some wooden houses of the Dai nationality with rich ethnic characteristics in the surrounding area have a special charm. Occasionally, with the crowing of chickens, you will see a group of chickens running out of the wooden building and back. When you follow the strange noises coming from the wooden building, you will see the scene of Dai women concentrating on weaving in front of the old wooden looms.
Elephant foot drum is one of the favorite dances performed by young men and women of the Dai nationality in festivals. In the Dai language, young boys are called Xiaopumao, and girls are called Xiaopushao. Whenever the little servants beat the elephant foot drum, the little servants danced gracefully, as if they outlined a pastoral painting of ethnic minorities singing and dancing.
In the drum fight played by the little servant, it shows the witty and powerful spirit of the Dai men from one side. When the winner takes over the silver cup filled with mellow wine in the hands of his sweetheart, the emotional communication between people seems to have received another holy sublimation in the cheers of "water, water".
Every move and style of Dai martial arts is full of rhythm
The traditional sports activities of the Dai people are rich and colorful, among which the martial arts of the Dai people is a relatively distinctive traditional project. During the festive festival, some Dai youths drank too much, so they were quite drunk in the martial arts contest between the two sides. The routines of Dai martial arts are mostly passed down from ancestors. Its every move and style is very rhythmic, not as vigorous as traditional Chinese martial arts, and often has a unique charm of combining rigidity and softness.
Dai martial arts are very performative, and the two sides generally do not make physical contact during the practice, but only point to the end. So there is a certain appreciation. Whenever young Dai people perform martial arts, they always attract a large number of spectators, among whom many girls of Dai nationality applaud. This is often an excellent opportunity for young Dai people to fully demonstrate their martial arts skills. During Dai martial arts performances, there are elephant foot drummers on the sidelines to add to the fun, so the atmosphere of Dai martial arts performances is always very lively. (Photo: Feng Ganyong)