In Xishuangbanna and Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province of China, which are full of magic, live in one of the unique ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province of China, the Dai.

Dai girl (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Many traditional sports activities of the Dai people are related to song and dance, so the Dai people are also one of the many ethnic minorities in China who can sing and dance. They express their joy through singing and dancing. Whenever a festive season is celebrated or when guests from afar are welcomed, people will beat gongs, beat copper drums, and dance cheerful dances such as "Peacock Dance" and "Elephant Foot Drum Dance" to express their good wishes. Among the many Dai folk dances, the "Elephant Foot Drum Dance" can be said to be more representative.

There is a legendary story about the Dai elephant foot drum

Elephant foot drum dance performance (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

There is also a legendary story about the origin of the Dai elephant foot drum. It is said that in ancient times, the Mengzhe area was a beautiful lake with rippling blue waves. However, there are python demons and turtle demons entrenched by the lake. They commit evil everywhere and devour people and animals. Later, a Dai warrior brought a group of hunters to the lake and eliminated the python beast that swallowed people and livestock. He took the skin and put it on hollow trees and bamboo tubes to beat it for fun, so a drum was formed. A few years later, two elephant takers changed the drum into the shape of elephant feet. Since then, elephant foot drums have been known among the Dai people.

Dai youth (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On November 12, 1998, in Ganlanba, a famous scenic spot not far northeast of the suburbs of Jinghong City, the Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture Song and Dance Troupe performed a wonderful Dai "Elephant Foot Drum Dance" for our "Chinese National Sports Film Team."

The girl playing the elephant foot drum dance (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In the square in front of a temple in Ganlanba, more than 20 young dancers, accompanied by music, performed the "Elephant Foot Drum Dance" vividly with their superb dance movements, which was extremely exciting.

Olanba Performance Scene (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Ganlanba is a place full of Dai customs. Some of the surrounding Dai wooden houses with ethnic characteristics have a unique charm. Occasionally, with the cooing of chickens, you will see a group of chickens running out and back from the wooden building. When you follow the strange sounds coming from the wooden building, you will see Dai women weaving attentively in front of old wooden looms.

The reporter took a photo at the shooting scene (Photo: Hu Xiaofei)

Elephant foot drum dance is one of the most popular dances performed by Dai young men and women during festivals. Dai language calls young men Xiaopu Mao and girls Xiaopu Shao. Whenever the little servants beat the elephant foot drum, the little servants danced gracefully, as if outlining a pastoral poem of an ethnic minority singing and dancing.

Dai Martial Arts Scene (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In Xiaopu Mao's fighting drum, the resourceful and powerful spiritual style of Dai men is reflected from one aspect. When the winner takes the silver cup filled with fragrant wine from his sweetheart, the emotional communication between people seems to have been sublimated again in the surging cheers of "water, water".

Every move of Dai martial arts is very rhythmic

Dai traditional sports activities are rich and colorful, among which Dai martial arts is a relatively unique traditional event. During the festive season, some Dai young people drink too much, so they still have a taste of drunkenness in the martial arts competition between the two sides. Most of the routines of Dai martial arts were passed down by ancestors. Each move is very rhythmic. They are not as strong as the movements of traditional Chinese martial arts, and often have a unique charm that combines strength and softness.

Dai martial arts is in progress (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

There was constant cheers at the scene (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Dai martial arts is very expressive. When practicing, the two sides generally do not have physical contact, but only point. Therefore, it has a certain ornamental nature. Whenever Dai young people perform martial arts performances, they always attract many viewers, among whom many Dai girls cheer. This is often an excellent opportunity for Dai young people to fully demonstrate their martial arts skills. During the Dai martial arts performance, there are also people beating elephant feet drums to entertain the performance, so the atmosphere at the Dai martial arts performance is always very warm. (Photo: Feng Ganyong)