Vietnam's spirit mediums revive once forbidden ritual

Medium An Chinh walks through smoke during a Hau Dong performance at the Viet Theatre in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Kham

HANOI (Reuters) - Dressed in the bright silk garments of a woman and dancing with candles between his fingers, Nguyen Duy Nam leads a temple of worshippers in a ceremony honouring mystical goddesses of forest, water and heaven.

Nam, 24, is one of a growing number of spirit mediums who perform the Hau Dong ritual of blaring noise and vibrant colours, now enjoying a resurgence after once being frowned on by the ruling Communist Party.