HAIKOU, August 21. /TASS/. For the first time in history, the administration of Hainan's Lingshui-Li Autonomous County held a festival dedicated to the culture and customs of the Danjia sub-ethnic group, whose representatives are engaged in fishing, almost never live on land, and in Southeast Asia are known as "boat people." The information about the event was published by the local department of tourism, culture, broadcasting and sports.

The organizers have prepared quite a program. The public was invited to taste traditional cuisine (mainly represented by seafood), handicrafts, everyday objects, history, life and customs of Danjia.

"This is a rich and distinctive culture, and we invite tourists to learn more about it," said Chen Guanghai, deputy head of the Center for the Protection of Intangible Heritage of Hainan. "We promote the brand of Danjia people living in Lingshui. It organically embodies the local life, cultural specifics and creates new favorable opportunities for tourism. "

During the festival, guests were invited to learn more about traditional contest on "dragon boats" - light and fast multi-seat canoes, resembling marine mythical creatures from afar. Both local residents and representatives of the Chinese media took part in the competition. Visitors were also able to learn the specifics of the Danjia wedding ceremony.

"It is necessary to promote such events on a broad level, to facilitate the entry of new distinctive products to the market. <...> This should have a stimulating effect on the development of international consumer tourism on Hainan," Chen Guanghai noted.

Danjia live in the south and southeast of China. Over recent decades, many of them have moved to the coastal strip, practically merging with the local population. Lingshui is one of the places where the traditions of this sub-ethnos of several million people are most vividly represented.