On Lamu Drum and Wa Traditional Festival

The Wa calendar "Greer Month" (equivalent to 65438+February in Gregorian calendar) is the time when the Wa people used to hold wooden drum-pulling activities in the whole village. On the first day of the festival, the chief and "Moba" (the priest) took people to the tall red-haired tree selected in advance. After the sacrifice (offering sacrifices, exorcising ghosts and chanting prayers), "Moba" cut down the tree several times with an axe, and then others cut down the tree overnight, picking up three stones and putting them on the stump, meaning to buy tree lines for tree ghosts. Then cut off the trunk according to the required wooden drum size, chisel out the drum ears, and tie the vines. The next morning, all the men, women and children in the village dressed up and went up the mountain to play wooden drums. Moba raised the branches in his right hand, led the singing of "Lamu Drum" and directed the people to coordinate their actions. People sprinkle water and wine on the ground where wooden drums pass. People who play wooden drums sing and dance, while others cheer or send wine to deliver meals. Pull the wooden drum blank outside the village entrance and park it for two or three days. "Moba" kills chickens for sacrifice, and then pulls the first mate cadres to the wooden drum room to be made by carpenters. On this day, men and women play wooden drums together and huddle together, which is said to be a good time to fall in love. It takes a long time to pull, sing, dance and tease. People are satisfied with the wooden drum, so they carry it into the wooden drum room and have another carnival. People joined the drums and danced rough wooden drums.