Firewalking Rituals

Why Walk on Fire?

There are two main types of firewalking. The first involves walking across a pathway of hot stones or other objects (Ingalls). The more popular way is walking on a bed of coals, usually fueled by wood. The size of the path varies from seven to 15 feet long and three to 10 feet wide. Firewalking rituals are nearly always done to honor a deceased saint or important religious figure, but they are also performed to remember a miracle that happened, or to fulfill a vow (Brewster 1977). Firewalking rituals are very elaborate and allow the community to come together to prepare and celebrate the occasion. All who attend fire walking rituals carry home good fortune, but those who participate earn spiritual merit and experience intense confidence boosts (Jochim).

Villagers in India watch as initiates prepare for a fire walking ritual₆

Preparation

Preparation for a fire walking ritual is different depending on the type of ritual and the location. There is often a prior "purification" involved, and it can last as long as 10 days. Specifically, the Kadar of Southwest India fast with their families, bathe three times each day, and don't buying or borrowing anything. Other rituals are periods of silence, abstinence from smoking, drinking, and sexual intercourse. Some cultures are observed by priests and can suffer from severe punishment if protocol is broken (Brewster 1977).

History

The tradition of fire walking has been around for thousands of years, dating back to around 1200 BC. The first fire walk took place in India and it was a competition between two Brahmin priests to show their inner-peace and how spiritual they were. Though it began in India, it has spread to many other countries that include Japan, Chini, Fiji, Malaya, New Zealand, Spain, and Bulgaria. It can also be seen as a healing ceremony and has even been used by the !Kung.

Ritual Examples

On the southern coast of China and areas occupied by immigrants such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan, citizens engage in a fire walking ceremony to honor the birthday of Bao Sheng Da-Di, a protective god (Jochim). Another popular example of a fire walking ritual performed to commemorate a miracle is a ritual performed in Greece. In 1250 in what was once northern Thrace, the church of St. Constantine caught on fire. The villagers realized their sacred icons were left in the church and a few courageous men went into the church and fetched them. These men were able to escape the burning church not one burn or injury. Walkers in Spain, India, and Thailand also walk to honor known saints (Brewster 1977).

The Chinese fire walking festival 'Lianhuo'₃

The Burn Phenomenon

A fascinating part of fire walking ceremonies is the fact the walkers are rarely burned or hurt from walking on the flaming coals. There are several physical, mental, and spiritual theories to why the walkers make it out unscathed. One scientific explanation is that foot is placed carefully and firmly onto patches of coal, so that the fire directly underneath it is smothered (Brewster 1977). Another suggests that coals, unlike metal, are simply not a great conductor of heat, so if a walker walks swiftly the heat does not reach their feet before they take their next step (Roach 2005). Others argue that the reason is a hypnotic trance that walkers experience, making them insusceptible to pain (Brewster 1977). Another explanation is that the circulating blood in the feet keep them from reaching a burning point, suggesting a walker only needs to stay calm and keep moving in order to prevent being burned (Roach 2005).

Edit by Maiya Smith)(

A short video displaying the Kalaburagi fire walking in Karnataka, India.

Learn More

A National Geographic video about the fire walking ceremony performed in Greece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKhbjGKOSIA

A video showing an elaborate Japanese firewalking ritual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1XCCcL7xYw

A photo of lower-caste preparation for a firewalking ritual.

https://library.artstor.org/#/asset/SS7730458_7730458_8660198;prevRouteTS=1604692458150

Works Cited

(1972). Firewalking Ceremony, Villagers watch as initiates gather to perform fire walking ritual. [Documentary photograph]. Retrieved from https://library.artstor.org/asset/ATAJIG_10312573591
Brewster, Paul. 1977. " THE STRANGE PRACTICE OF FIREWALKING." PennMuseum. volume 19(issue 3). Retrieved November 5, 2020 (https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-strange-practice-of-firewalking/).
Debnath, Neela. November 2013. "In pictures: Chinese fire walking festival 'Lianhuo'." Independent. Retrieved November 4, 2020 (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pictures-chinese-fire-walking-festival-lianhuo-8964280.html).
INGALLS, A. (1939). Fire-Walking. Scientific American, 160(3), 135-138. Retrieved November 6, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24955552
Jochim,Christian. N.d. "FIREWALKING AND OTHER RITES ON THE BIRTHDAY OF BAO-SHENG DA-DI IN TAIWAN."Kenyon.edu. Retrieved November 4, 2020 (https://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln270/firewalk.htm).
McElroy, J. (1977). Fire-Walking. Folklore, 88(1), 113-115. Retrieved November 6, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1259710
Purves-Stewart, J., & Waterston, D. (1935). Observations On Fijian Fire-Walking. The British Medical Journal, 2(3912), 1267-1269. Retrieved November 6, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25346497
Roach, John. September 2005. "Why Fire Walking Doesn't Burn: Science or Spirituality?." Title of Site. Retrieved November 4, 2020 (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/9/why-fire-walking-doesnt-burn-science-or-spirituality/#close).

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