Wa dancers, singers blaze new sphere for performance

In Meizhou city of Guangdong province, Ye Feng, a 27-year-old Wa girl and other 10 Wa performers are rehearsing for their traditional songs and dances.

“There are more than 30 performers in our troupe, most of whom come from Wa villages in Pu’er city of Yunnan province,” said Ye. “Over the years, we’ve been performing in cities like Shenyang, Guilin and Guangzhou. This brings us an average annual income of over 60,000 yuan per person.”

Yan Chui, a villager from Zhongke village of Ximeng Wa autonomous county in Pu’er, has been leading the Wa performances for 12 years. As the captain of these dancers, Yan organizes and leads villagers to engage in cultural performances each year. "Our performances are Wa ethnic folk songs and dances loved by tourists," Yan said.

Wa people in Ximeng county accounts for over 70% of the population. Singing and dancing are integral to the Wa folks’ traditional rituals and daily life. Among the 207 different routines of the 21 types of Wa ethnic dances that have been passed down, the dances like Hair Swinging Dance, Wood Drum Dance, and Knife Dance are widely accepted.

The county has trained 36 labor service agents and organized training for over 2,200 people in Wa ethnic performances up to now. And over 19,000 people from Ximeng county work outside annually, including more than 2,000 who perform at various scenic spots and attractions in and outside the province.

Source: Yunnan Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya