Monihei Carnival brings fun during Labor Day
The news was updated on May 5, 2019.
During the Labor Day holiday, the yearly Monihei Carnival took place in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
The carnival is the occasion for Wa people to touch each other black with special mud to express their sincere greetings. This year, Cangyuan held various activities to promote its tourism as well as business opportunities.
They included traditional ones like the memorial of the soul of ox, the gala of Wa ethnic group, blessing ceremony, hair swinging dance, dressing show, crossbow shooting, Wa weaving, making fire with bamboo and so on. Also, more creative and interactive activities were held, such as the night party for Chinese and Myanmar people and half marathon.
“Monihei” literally means “touching you black”. It is said that the carnival takes its meaning from the Wa ethnic group’s custom. Wa people believes that smearing a kind of special mud called Niangbuluo on faces or bodies is a good way to frighten evils, keep healthy and seek longevity.
