 |  | | The Thai tribal people are simply known as the Baiyis; most of the residents living in Bowang Village descended from the Baiyi men and women who migrated from Mainland China’s Yunnan province. Because shopping is so inconvenient in this remote village, there are many traveling markets where one can buy food and other necessities. However, the flavors of Yunnan cuisine are so different that each household still plants spices unique to it, for use when cooking food at home. | | | | |  | | These mothers, with their deep-set features ad distinct voices, belong to several tribes of the ethnic minorities – Baiyi, Aka, Yao, and others. These Baiyi women still wear the sarong, preserved from ancient times, which is very similar to the ones worn by Thai women, except that the colors and designs are slightly different. Unmarried girls bound their bodies tightly, as a sign of their conservative nature; on the other hand, there are Baiyi mothers who still know the ancient tribal dances. Baiyi dances are very similar to Thai dances; the movements are slow and emphasize on the graceful motions of the hands; these dances are only performed during celebrations or to welcome guests. The Baiyi mothers sing as they dance, their faces lit with joy. As night descends, men and women of the Baiyi tribe form a circle around the fire and dance to the beating of the drums as well as shoot fire arrows (also called shooting great heights); whoever shoots fire arrows higher will enjoy great fortune this year. Fire arrows fly across the skies, while laughter rings throughout the land well into the night. Their hearts’ deepest hope is to be able to pass down the magic of these dances. | |  | | | | |  | | Aside from traditional Baiyi dances, there is the tribe’s most important celebration – the Water Throwing Festival. It is the celebration activity of the Thais for ushering in the new year; it is also called Wishing Dryness Away Festival. It normally runs for three to five days; the first day is the bathing of Buddha, the second day is for water throwing, at which people come together carrying buckets and basins. Some people will spray perfume or throw flower petals into the water; young people may pour a few drops on their elders, to wish them long life and safety, before the water throwing activities begin. The Thai tribe sees the water of the Water Throwing Festival as holy water, water of purity, water that is full of love and friendship; the water throwing is a way to exchange good wishes, deepening feelings for one another. There are so many activities during the Water Throwing Festival; Such as dragon boat rowing, scaling heights, bag throwing, dancing the peacock dance, and bathing of the Buddha. The people are in their best attires, the atmosphere is joyous and exciting; and ground for the event is full of festive atmosphere. In the Qingjing area, the representative festivity of the ethnic minorities of the area is the “Torch Festival.” Many of the ethnic minorities on the Burmese border have Torch Festival activities; there are variations, though. People who have migrated to the Qingjing area have also derived their own Qingjing Torch Festival, which includes dancing, water pipe competitions, barbecues, and other activities. It is held every summer, allowing visitors to experience another kind of diverse folk ambience. | | | | | | |  | | The Baiyi tribe has striven to preserve their old way of life after they moved to the Qingjing area. Take the sacred ancestral tablet worshipped by the Baiyis at the Gujun Community for example. It is not the usual ancestral altar worshipped by the Han people; this altar worships “heaven, earth, country, parents, and mentor,” which is worth noting. The water pipe(or hookah) carried by the elder men of the Gujun Community is very unique; the men of the Aka tribe also have the habit of water pipes smoking.There is a very interesting piece of anecdote about these Baiyis carrying the water pipes. When the Communist Army, which greatly outnumbered the Baiyis, saw the cool water pipes that the men carried on their backs, they thought the pipes were rocket launchers. The sight scared the Communists so badly that they did not dare to attack the community. Not only are the forms of the water pipes unique; they also come in different sizes, and are made of bamboo, which the Baiyis consider high class and lucky. The mouthpiece of the pipe is also decorated with copper trimmings, making it a collectible item. In addition, the Baiyi tribe had preserved the clothing they wore when they arrived in Taiwan: sarongs that were tight on the bodice with loose fitting bottoms; they also wore intricate silver accessories around their waists; their movements are graceful and elegant. The children also wear traditional attires bought from Thailand; the bright colors splashed against the verdant land of Qingjing Farm and the changing hues of the flowers through the season create a unique cultural feature. | | | | | | | |
