The fire dance ritual is a long-standing custom, associated with major festivals such as the Ban Vuong festival of the Dao people and the Dai Phan festival of the San Diu people in Quang Ninh.
These festivals are usually held from the end of November of the lunar calendar to the end of January of the following year - the time when people have just finished the harvest season and entered the festival season at the beginning of the year.
To prepare for the fire jumping ceremony, the organizers will choose a wide yard, arrange firewood in the middle of the yard (like a campfire), burn it to form red charcoal and then spread it in the middle of the yard.
Members participating in fire dancing are usually from 4-6 people, mainly artisans and shamans in the community.
Before jumping into the fire, the participants will perform the "spirit possession" worship ceremony. After the worship ceremony, the participants will use barefoot, jump on red charcoal, and even use their hands to push the charcoal up high, creating bright streaks of fire in the night.
Folk artisan Trieu Thanh Xuan (Lang Cong village, Ba Che commune) said: "The ritual cannot be arbitrarily imitated, only those who have been trained can perform it.
Dancing on charcoal embers, participants will have moments of "spiritual" walking on charcoal embers, dancing, and releasing charcoal embers high. The ceremony has the meaning of chasing away diseases and bad luck.
Fire dance is the most anticipated ritual part of the Ban Vuong Festival in Ba Che commune. This is also an opportunity for people to thank the gods, pray for favorable weather, good harvests, peaceful life, and place their faith in the sacred fire that will bring good luck at the beginning of the year.
Along with the Dao people, the San Diu people in Quang Ninh also maintain the fire jumping custom (also known as coal wading) in the Dai Phan Festival, as in some San Diu ethnic communities in the Van Don special zone, Hai Hoa commune, Thong Nhat commune...
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Anh - Doctor of Culture (Hai Phong City) - said: "In the worldview of the Dao and San Diu people, the gods are always present, protecting people. People participating in fire dancing believe that they are protected by gods, so even when walking on red charcoal, they are not burned, creating the mysterious color of the ritual.
The ritual usually takes place at night, imbued with spiritual elements but also rich in festival spirit. This is an opportunity for people to thank the gods, pray for good harvests, a prosperous life, and healthy villagers; thereby educating traditions and strengthening the spirit of community cohesion".
With unique cultural and religious values, the fire dance ritual has become a typical intangible cultural heritage, contributing to preserving national identity, and creating unique cultural experience tourism products in Quang Ninh.
