Oroqin Bonfire Festival in northern China

Each year on June 18th, China's Oroqin ethnic minority hold a Bonfire Festival in northern China's Greater Khingan Mountains.

The Oroqin are descended from nomads and live in their own Autonomous Banner in Inner Mongolia.

Fire is important to the Oroqin people. They worship fire. It forms an important part of their ceremonies. They believe in Shamanism and the spirit of the fire. The Bonfire Festival is their grandest celebration every year. It is a ceremony where they remember their roots as a nomadic people.

"We respect fire, honor fire. Fire plays an important part in our life," said He Xueguang, Deputy Director of Oroqin Autonomous Banner. "We have adopted modern life for quite a long time, but that doesn't mean we would abandon our tradition."

Two thousand Oroqin people now live in the area of the Greater Khingan Mountains. Apart from the Bonfire Festival, their history as nomads has left them unique culture and art. It is this intangible culture and art that many people haven't had the opportunity to experience. This being the case, some folk artists have taken it upon themselves to try and document it, and then perform for the widest possible audience.

"The outcome is beyond expectation. We have collected many folk songs, such as the lullabies and love songs we are performing. Of course we try to let more of our people know how important their tradition is. The next step is to record these songs, translate the lyrics and have more people of different ages learn them and pass them along," art instructor Bai Ling said.

Although the Oroqin gave up their lives as nomads a long time ago, their culture is slowly becoming the subject of much interest among people. This has prompted a wider acceptance of what this minority contributes to the diversity in China.