Oroqen Dances

(chinaculture.org)

Updated: 2014-02-03

They are jovial and generous and like to sing and dance. They excel at improvising songs. For geographical reasons and unique to their way of life, their dancing is characterized by imitation of the postures and movements of animals.

Dance of the fighting bear

All Oroqens, young and old, can carry out the "dance of the fighting bear," one of their preferred dances.

Oroqens dedicate their worship to the totems of black bears. All Oroqens, young and old, can carry out the "dance of the fighting bear," one of their preferred dances. The dance involves three people and the movements are simple. The people put their hands on their folded knees and imitate bear howls while humming loudly, almost like thunder! Two people interpret a bear, by shaking their head and the shoulders to fight against the other. The third "bear" acts as a judge or referee in the conflict.