Akha Swing Ceremony In Thailand_2

In Thailand, Akha is the tribal community who live in the hills of Chiang Rai, the Northern Province. The Swing ritual of Akha tribal community is held between mid-August and September. This ritual takes place just two months before corn and rice are ready for harvesting. Celebrating the Swing Festival is a way of saying thanks and expressing aspect for food.
The festival is well-known for four days and night by dancing, singing, feasting and enjoyment.The Akha people believe in worshipping their ancestors, as they believe after the the act of dying of an elder, they become their babysitter and look after their welfare. They also think that the profusion crops are blessings of their ancestors.This annual Swing ceremony also acts as a transition from puberty to adulthood. During this formality Akha girls are dressed as a full grown adult with ornamental head dress which is designed to reflect different stages of a woman's life.On the first day of the festival all family members gather at 11 in the morning to get ready for their ritual offerings. They offer one red and one black chicken along with wine, ginger, tealeaves and other items to their ancestors at noon. Then through out the night they dance and sing.The second day is the most important of all days. It involves the whole community and village priest, and the tribal elders lead the ceremony. They dismantle the old swing erected the previous year and put up a new swing in that place.On the third day, offerings are made at the dawn and on the final day; the village priest declares the end of the ceremony which is held again the following year.