Source: CCTV.com

04-17-2009 16:43

"Harvest sacrifice" is the grandest activity of the Amei people. It is held annually between July and August. The most-often seen rituals in the harvest sacrifice include adult sacrifice, guest-greeting dance, harvest dance, cultivation dance, fishing sacrifice, and so on.

The whole process includes three phases: greeting the spirit, feasting the spirit, and sending off the spirit. At the early years the sacrifice would last for eight to fifteen days with simple activities and the participants would be organized into different levels according to the age, women being not allowed to join in the sacrifice. In recent years the old customs and taboos have been changed slightly: the number of sacrificial days has been cut, the ritual simplified and competitive activities such as running, tug-of-war and archery etc have been added; and the tourists can also join in the activities to share the joyous moment.

 

Editor:Zhao Yanchen