So, a bit of a history lesson: this festival commemorates a famous patriotic poet Chu Yuan who drowned himself in the river when his home state was taken over by another. It was said people raced to rescue him in boats and when they could find him, they threw zongzi (a rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves) so the fish would eat those instead of the poet.
So, these traditions of boat racing and eating traditional foods are still practiced today. Also, I noticed people put up bunches of herbs on their doors in our apartment building this morning. Evidently, this time of year is important for protection from evil and disease so these healthy herbs are a part of securing that for the year to come.
Today, I went with a bunch of friends from church to watch the races, and a number of people I know from church were also IN the races. So, it turned out to be quite the enjoyable event.
The teams all paddle to the beat of a drum that keeps them in sync with one another. The person on the extreme front of the boat is the one who reaches out and grabs the flag that is sitting in the water at the finish line ( you can see the girl in the photo below getting ready to secure the victory for their team)
I also learned that the person in the way back who steers the boat has to train for that for two years before being able to compete.
I was thinking watching this event a year or two ago would not have been as fun because I would not have known as many people or would have been able to actually cheer for a team that I knew.
Dragon Boat Festival in Danshui
Upon arriving in my city, Danshui, I was reminded that this festival is not just about a good time, cheering for friends and eating all kinds of fried foods and mango shaved ice-cream. There is a deeper, darker side to these days.
Danshui at the time of the Dragon Boat Festival also celebrates one of their major idols of the city. They march the idol around the city, setting off fireworks before it to clear the evil spirits away. Since I've been home, the sounds are similar to some I've heard in Afghanistan....pops and explosions, though these are all from firecrackers and fireworks exploding in the air, not bringing death to people, but an attempt to cause evil in the spiritual world to flee.
 |
| Pictured here is the idol in front of the people and the firecrackers being set off behind it as it is marched through the streets. |
But tomorrow a greater evil sets in on the city.....the streets will be filled with parades to worship the idols, performances in front of temples, but worst of all will be the many shamans who get themselves high and often becoming demon possessed, dancing around the streets and physically mutilating their bodies with instruments full of sharp razors or by poking steel rods through their cheeks and all sorts of horrific practices. This is a dark day in the city, one I usually head into Taipei for to escape some of the intensity.
But it reminds me, that we were all created for worship.
We are all created to express our awe and fear of something that is more powerful than us.
Some of are still looking for what that ultimate power is.
