Mayfung

Balti Tibetan couple traditional Balti dress in Baltistan, Pakistan.

Mayfung (Balti: མེ་ཕུང།) is an ancient festival celebrated in the Baltistan region of northeastern Pakistan by the Balti Tibetan people. The festival has roots in the Bön religion, which was the main religion in the area before Buddhism and Islam. Every year on December 21, the Mayfung festival takes place to mark the end of the longest night and the beginning of the new year called "Balti Losar" (Balti New Year). Mayfung is a tradition celebrated not only in Baltistan but also in some parts of Gilgit, Hunza, Chitral, and Tibet in China.

People believe that celebrating Mayfung protects them from misfortunes and natural disasters. The name Mayfung comes from two Balti words: "May," meaning fire, and "Fang" or "Phang," meaning to throw or play. So, Mayfung translates to playing with fire or throwing fireballs in the sky. In other languages, it is known as Thumushaling in Burushaski and Loma in Shina.

History

Balti culture is a mix of Bonism, Islam, and Buddhism influences. Bonism was a religion in Tibet before Buddhism and Islam, involving spirit worship, sacrifices, magic, and divination. The Mayfung Festival from the Bon period continued into the Buddhist era to please gods and remove society's ills. It's a crucial part of the Losar festival, also known as the Balti New Year, happening in Baltistan, Pakistan, on December 21.

Legend has it that lighting a large fire during Mayfung can drive away evils. The festival may have roots in the Maqpon dynasty of the 12th century or be linked to Raja Abdal Khan, a powerful ruler in the 17th century.

During Mayfung, people light bonfires on mountains, plains, and rooftops. Children play, dance, and sing traditional songs around flaming logs. The residual fire is scattered on mountain slopes. Women prepare special dishes. The celebration includes fireworks, music, dancing, flying lanterns, and festive foods. Folk dances like the sword dance and fire dance are performed, and the event concludes with traditional music. People believe that Mayfung is necessary to ward off spirits and Jinns.