A festival in a Chinese village sees a dog being dressed up in human clothing while being carried around in a chair and worshiped as a god and I think I’ve just found my new favourite festival.
Images VIA
The event has been held every year by the Miao people of Jiaobang village in the Guizhou province for centuries. And the name of it? The Dog Carrying Day. Yep, definitely my new favourite festival.
The origin of the tradition comes from a story that claims the first settlers of the village were saved from dying of thirst by a dog that led them to a water source. It is marked with a parade for the chosen pooch which is dressed in a tailor-made shirt and hat. Too much. It is then sat on a sedan chair before being paraded around while people sing and beat drums.
The march is led by a shaman who throws mud at the villagers, which is meant to represent peace, health and prosperity. Meanwhile, people gather in the streets to pray for a good harvest in the coming year. The whole thing sounds like an absolute dream and something I’d definitely want to be a part of, mostly just to see a little dog dressed up in a tailor-made suit.
For some reason some people have criticised the event, comparing it to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Although I can’t really see the similarity between the two – one involves worshipping dogs, the other involves killing and eating them. I know which one I’d rather be a part of.
