Dai Water Splashing Festival: A Celebration of Renewal and Joy
Dai Water Splashing Festival is the most festive and colorful festival in Dai ethnic culture. At its core, the Water Splashing Festival is a rebirth and cleansing festival. In the Dai people’s belief, water possesses the power to wash away misfortune, evil luck, and last year’s grime from one’s life. People sprinkle water on one another on the streets during the festival, and it is believed to be a blessing, a way of ushering in good fortune, good health, and happiness in the new year. Splashing water is a way of washing off evil spirits and having a clean heart, just like the Dai people consider water an indispensable part of life (Chu Jianfang, 2022).
The Dai Peacock Dance: A Graceful Expression of Tradition
The Dai Peacock Dance: A Graceful Expression of Tradition The Dai Peacock Dance is one of the most famous dances of the Dai ethnic minority. It is celebrated for its grace and multitude of symbolism. Rooted in Dai folklore, the dance illustrates the existence of harmony between nature and culture, traditionally performed at festivals such as the Water Splashing Festival (Chu Jianfang, 2022). The peacock, as a bird with beautiful colors in Dai culture, is seen as a thing that stands for gracefulness, being able to reproduce, and having wealth. The dancing is to follow the way the peacock moves, which is a way to show the meaning of life growing and good things.