The Reba Dance
“Reba” is a sort of performing art that is popular in the Qamdo area which integrates talking, singing, humor, circus elements and theatre all at its core. It was believed that,“Reba” was founded by Milarepa, the 2nd founder of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, during the 11th century A.D. Reba dance was started in Tengchen County. According to the legends, the Tengchen County had a tropical climate during ancient times; then the Tengchen county town got covered by lakes and rivers, which threatened the lives of animals and human beings. In order to save the lives of the people, the young Milareba killed elephants to take their skin which was used to cover the ground on which he did the Reba dance to worship the gods. The Reba Dance thus was born and Tengchen County was named as “the homeland of the Reba art” by the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The general characteristic of the Reba Dance is rough, unrestrained, bold and generous. Reba Dance includes several dozen schools, amongst which the Wote Reba is the most famous and demands very strong in skills from its performers such as stick climbing, breaking stones on the stomach, rotating with knifes and rolling on the ground.
The predecessor of Reba was the “witchcraft”and “totem dance”of the Tibetan primitive religion, the Bon religion. The Reba Dance has a long history, mysterious legend, rich content, unique style, sophisticated skills, humor narration and special masks. Including the essences of the ancient Shangshung culture, religious culture and folk art, Reba Dance is a wonderful masterpiece of the Tibetan people’s glorious culture which has very high artistic and research value.