September 11, 2010

050107 Akha dance - part 1

Performance ground surrounded by huts built to showcase the culture of various ethnic groups, with an Akha swing & a spirit gate at the entrance:

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On the horizontal beam of the gate (above), there is a little carving of a bird (able to see & warn of danger approaching) & an aeroplane:

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On some gates the cat has seen carvings of helicopters & AK47s - presumably to make it clear to whatever spirits that might try to enter that the area within the gates is the realm of humans - keep out. The same goes for the carvings of human figurines with oversized genitalia - apparently the spirits have none.

Team AFECT gets ready:

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Performance for VIPs - 'bamboo dance' similar to the Filipino tinikling:

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With the tray used for wind winnowing to remove chaff from rice after threshing:

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