| In Thailand, Akha is the tribal community who live | | | | designed to reflect different stages of a woman's |
| in the hills of Chiang Rai, the Northern Province. | | | | life. |
| The Swing ceremony of Akha tribal community is | | | | On the first day of the festival all family |
| held between mid-August and September. This | | | | members gather at 11 in the morning to prepare |
| ritual takes place just two months before corn | | | | for their ritual offerings. They offer one red and |
| and rice are ready for harvesting. Celebrating the | | | | one black chicken along with wine, ginger, |
| Swing Festival is a way of saying thanks and | | | | tealeaves and other items to their ancestors at |
| expressing respect for food. The festival is | | | | noon. Then through out the night they dance and |
| celebrated for four days and night by dancing, | | | | sing. |
| singing, feasting and enjoyment. | | | | The second day is the most important of all days. |
| The Akha people believe in worshipping their | | | | It involves the whole community and village priest, |
| ancestors, as they believe after the death of an | | | | and the tribal elders lead the ceremony. They |
| elder, they become their guardian and look after | | | | dismantle the old swing erected the previous year |
| their welfare. They also think that the abundance | | | | and put up a new swing in that place. |
| crops are blessings of their ancestors. | | | | On the third day, offerings are made at the dawn |
| This annual Swing ceremony also acts as a | | | | and on the final day; the village priest declares the |
| transition from adolescence to adulthood. During | | | | end of the ceremony which is held again the |
| this ceremony Akha girls are dressed as a full | | | | following year. |
| grown adult with ornamental head dress which is | | | | |