Shaman Festival Rebkong, Amdo Eastern Tibet - 2018
This annual communal sacrificial five day festival is celebrated on temple grounds in small villages around Rebkong town to honour the mountain Gods. Villagers bring offerings of milk curd and alcohol in the hope the local deities will bring good health and harvest to the community. The local mountain god is invited to join the ceremony, and the village shaman serves as his medium. Both local Tibetans and people of the Tu ethnic group participate in the ceremony, with young women in colourful traditional dress performing dance rituals, while men and boys beat drums as they slowly dance in circular movements, chanting mantras.