Most of the 408.000 Lahu people live in Lancang and Menglian Lahu Autonomous Counties, southwest of Simao.
Rice and corn are staple food on Lahu diet. Chili peppers, barbecued meat and water vine are Lahu people’s favorites.
The Lahu people are polytheism worshipers and primitive religion believers.
The Kuota Festival is Lahu Spring Festival. It falls on the first day of the first lunar month. At the first cockcrow on the first day of the festival, young men and women rush to the fountain to fetch the new water, a symbol of purity and happiness in Lahu culture.
They compete to be the first to get the water. Whoever wins the competition will have power over evils and enjoy longevity.
On the second day, village-to-village visits are paid to relatives and friends.
The last three days of the festival finish off with grand-scale Lusheng dance. All the villagers dance around the tables, praying for peace and prosperity for the coming year.
