The festival was cancelled. The road was under construction so there was nowhere to perform. No problem that the handful of tourists couldn’t get in. But they needed a stage. We’d come all the way to Yunnan to see a festival that wasn’t happening.
No-body dresses in traditional costume any more, we were told. Only at the festivals. My tribal fix was unravelling pretty quickly.
But I needn’t have worried. The following day was International Women’s Day. Not much of an event in the UK but in Yunnan it’s a day for the women to escape their day-to-day lives and go on an outing. I was admiring Mile’s smiling Buddha when the noise level increased tenfold. The Hani had arrived. In traditional dress. And they wanted photos. Of the westerners. Suddenly we were pulled into the throng, smiling and laughing as the cameras snapped. Hats and waistcoats were shared, sadly not a good look on a non-Hani. I’m not sure who was more excited – I had my tribal fix and they had a good story to tell the villagers back home.
Jianshui is a pretty ‘ancient’ town. The Zhu Family Gardens are one of the must-see sights. Can’t say I was that impressed (it’s not a garden) until I saw a flash of colour. Is that a Bai? And a Yi? And Puyi too?! It was the end of a tribal dance competition. Speeches done and prizes given out, the men and women milled around chatting. I snapped a few photos. They sneakily tried to take some of me. Oh alright then, let’s do some selfies.
Later in the park, we hung out with the old folks who fill the parks with a sense of community. From tai chi to square dancing to singing, they gather to exercise and socialise. This time the Bai from the competition graced them with some different entertainment, some traditional Bai dancing. Relaxed and completely for their own entertainment, it was a beautiful thing to watch. Until the old dudes got jealous. Suddenly traditional Chinese music screeched out from the industrial-sized speakers. And I mean screeched. One man joined in singing at full blast. The Bai music had been drowned out. But they weren’t to be outdone. They carried on dancing and enjoying themselves until it was time to return to the village. They may be rural women with few rights and few opportunities, but they weren’t going to be pushed around!
From Yuanyang to Zhoucheng to Shangri-La itself, we met traditionally-dressed women in the streets and markets all over Yunnan. And a handful of men too. Whilst it is mainly the older generation who continue to dress in the traditional way, there are still plenty of younger women who choose to too. History is not something that is valued in China with their single-minded focus on the future. But the small handful of young children in traditional costume gave me hope that Yunnan’s rich ethnic heritage will continue for generations to come.
