The danced funeral of the Awu - Yi

The different branches of the Yi, due to his dispersion for a wide territory and to his isolation during long periods of time, have developed particular cultures that are evident in numerous aspects of his life and society.

Between they, the branch called Awu who lives in the Shizong district, to the east of the Yunnan province, have a curious and spectacular type of funeral, which develops principally by means of a dance of called "Bawu".

The fundamental motive of this dance is to express the pain for the death of a person. With him one tries at the same time to open the way for his soul towards the ground of the ancestors, and request his protection for the future.

The ceremony begins with the sad music of the suona, whose melody seems to be opening the way for the soul of the deceased. Later it begins the sound of cymbals, gongs and drums that mark the rhythm to which the celebrants are dancing and walking, while 16 persons load with the coffin covered with a cloth of many colors. After the burial, on having returned already to the village, it is possible to neither again nor it touches dance the musical instruments.

While the Bawu will be danced some ancient weapon is used, as well as some of the used ones for the hunting. Generally two persons dressed in ancient clothes dance, trying to represent the form in which it was thinking up the life in his ancient society.

If the Awu, especially the women, preserve with zeal his traditional garments, when this type of danced funeral is celebrated, the splendor of the clothes is incomparable. Since the ballet dancers that, with the ancient weapon they move of rhythmic form imitating the movements of a ritual struggle, take showy garments. The head covered with a red turban, the breast with a white blouse and a jacket also red and the legs with a few blue pants. In his hands, the strange extracted weapon of last times shines to the sun creating a magic effect.

More information. Yunnan sheng shizong xian wenhua ju. - Shizong minzu minjian wudao. Kunming. 1990

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