The Fire Dance: The mysterious dance of the Pa Then people, Vietnam

The Pa Then people are perhaps one of Vietnam’s smallest ethnic minorities but their mysterious ritual fire dance resonates far beyond their communities in the northeastern provinces of Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang.

The ritual is striking. The men of the Pa Then community dance on a blazing brazier to exorcise demons and obtain a good harvest.

In the mountainous north of the country, discovery of this "fire dance".

The dance, performed on top of burning coal, illustrates the daring of this remote people in coping with dangers and adversity.

The Pa Then, who number more than 5,000 people, believe fire is a supreme god that brings them good luck. The festival is usually held from the tenth lunar month, the month of the harvest, to the end of the first lunar month.

Each family brings bundles of wood, some chickens, 2-3 kilograms of pork and some rice as offerings. The fire dance is only for males who are deemed strong, skillful and agile, and is held in the evening in the village yard.

The shaman first announces the official reason for the festival and invites the gods to attend the ritual with the locals. If the fire god agrees, the participants go into a trance-like state, jump into the blazing fire and dance on the live coals with their bare feet. Some put a live coal in their mouth.