Gatangpa Festival of Aini Ethnic People in XishuangBanna

Chinese Name: 哈尼族嘎汤帕节
English Name: Gatangpa Festival of Aini Ethnic People in XishuangBanna
Gatangpa Festival, the grandest festival of the Aini (a branch of Hani) ethnic members, was held on 1 January 2013 in Pazhen Village of Menghai County where the 60th anniversary of Galanghe Hani Autonomous Township synchronised.What highlighted the event was the unique ethnic customs, religious beliefs, dietary culture and traditional fineries of such nationalities as the Han, Hani, Dai, and Lahu etc, giving full play to the diverse local ethnic cultures.

In Hani ethnic language “Gatangpa” means the renewal of everything on the earth, and the beginning of a new year. Gatangpa Festival is a traditional festival in Hani minority. It is told that in ancient times Gatangpa Festival could last for 15 days, taking ancestor worship and entertaining as the main content. The festival duration was changed to four days by the 14th Hani ancestor Zyuq Tanq Panq. As prescribed, the Festival starts from the first ox day and ends at the dragon day in each October.

Menghai is a vital tea planting area in Yunnan as well as the origin of the world famous Pu’er tea. Tea is a necessity to the Hanis in Menghai for festivals, celebrations and yet social life; the grand tea sacrificial ceremony, which manifests the harmony maintained between the nature and Hanis, is one of the dominating activities during the festival.

As the grandest and traditional festival of Hani People, Gatangpa is spent annually as the “New Year Festival” of Hani group. It plays a vital role in the ethnic cultures and numerous ethnic festival celebrations of Xishuangbanna Prefecture, and is an indispensable platform to display traditional ethnic cultures and propel the unity between different nationalities of Xishuangbanna.

嘎汤帕节，是西双版纳哈尼族的主要节日。“嘎汤”这句哈尼族语，有的说是纪元年号，据说哈尼族的年号叫“嘎汤纪元”。但多数人则认为“嘎汤帕”意指万象更新或万物复苏，是新的一年的开始。1987年7月西双版纳州人大常委会根据全州哈尼族人民的共同心愿，将嘎汤帕节正式决定为哈尼族的年节。

节日传统
嘎汤帕节虽然是哈尼族早已有之的传统佳节，但从前没有统一的节期。据传，古时候的嘎汤帕节要过15天，以祭祖、宴请为主要内容。在过节的15天内，天天设宴饮酒，耗费极大。至哈尼族第14代祖先尊唐盘时，将过节的时间定为4天，规定从每年十月的第一个属牛日举庆，属龙日结束。节日活动内容保留着以往的祭祖、宴请，增加了娱乐活动内容。节日来临时，人们要煮米酒、舂磁粑、杀猪宰鸡，备办米饭、糍粑、米酒、肉食、茶叶在祖先灵位――阿培波罗前供祭、祈祷。各家各户都要置办酒席邀请亲朋好友同斟共饮，互赠礼品联络感情。各村各寨则立秋千架、辟陀螺场，开展打秋千、打陀螺活动。男女青年穿戴一新，互相邀约到山上摘野果、采野花、对歌，尽情娱乐。喜欢打猎的男子汉，则三五结群串山打鸟或撵山围猎。

节日现状
1987年西双版纳州人大常委会将嘎汤帕节定为哈尼族的年节，过节时间统一为公历1月2日至4日。节日活动由乡政府或村公所统一组织，内容以文艺体育活动为主。节日期间，男女青年要表演传统的竹筒舞、长竹杆舞和各种展示哈尼族风情的文娱节目。开展荡秋千、打陀螺、射弩等比赛和游春活动。在山上对歌，尽情娱乐。昔日许多带有封建迷信色彩的活动，已经被健康有益的文体活动所代替。