Lusheng Festival in Kaili
We spent the entire day watching and participating in the annual Lusheng Festival. ...View image...All the local villages came to march in the parade, socialize, meet friends and be entertained. The Miao groups wore local dress for the parade and the Lusheng contest inside Kaili Stadium was held at noon. Group after group of Miao people representing their tribe and village, each and everyone in a different ethnic outfit, ...View image...marched down the street. ...View image... loaded with real "silver" and artificial "silver" headdresses and jewelry.
"Vibrant" or "colorful" doesn't accurately describe what was passing before our eyes. In the meantime, the local Chinese people were almost more interested in us than the festival and we were constantly being photographed, and asked to pose with families and children for more photographs. Our more than 15-seconds of fame!
playing the Lusheng
There were also some local vendors selling balloons for the children and handmade crafts...
and lots of food sellers - fresh ducks, plucked and hanging upside down...
...and ROAST DOG! I was very sorry I asked Andy what that was on a spit and deleted the photo from my digital camera after that discovery. There is a reason why you rarely see stray dogs on the street, but Andy assured us that "eating dogs" are usually raised special...that was "comforting"!
Lusheng Festival Child
FYI, if you ever travel through the Far East and need your pants shortened, some mending, or tailoring needs, there are streets filled with women at their old Singer Sewing Machines who will be happy to take care of your sewing needs for 50 cents or less (and we, as tourists, overpaid).
There was also the little Kaili Minority Museum. Interesting, with knowledge and information about the customs and culture of the minority groups. The Museum also had two interesting shops with old minority jewelry, books, postcards and beautifully executed embroidered jackets for sale.
Kaili was the place to be today...and it was worth juggling the itinerary to be a part of this gala festival.
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