Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [36]
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Language and culture constitute the borders of their world. Some groups are caught between the 6th and 21st centuries, while others are gradually being assimilated into modern life. Many tribespeople are also moving into lowland areas as montane lands become deforested.
The tribes most likely to be encountered by visitors fall into three main linguistic groups: the Tibeto-Burman (Lisu, Lahu, Akha), the Karenic (Karen, Kayah) and the Austro-Thai (Hmong, Mien). Within each group there may also be several subgroups, eg Blue Hmong, White Hmong; these names usually refer to predominant elements of clothing that vary between the subgroups.
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Hilltribe.org (www.hilltribe.org) is an informative resource on hill-tribe culture and history.
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The Tribal Research Institute in Chiang Mai recognises 10 different hill tribes but there may be up to 20. The population figures are taken from the most recent estimates. The following comments on dress refer mostly to the females, as hill-tribe men tend to dress like rural Thais, although increasingly hill-tribe villagers wear donated clothes rather than traditional garb. The traditional method of home construction is sometimes replaced with modern materials, like corrugated metal.
AKHA (I-KAW)
Population: 68,600
Origin: Tibet
Present locations: Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Yunnan
Economy: dry rice, corn, beans, peppers
Belief system: animism with an emphasis on ancestor worship; some groups are Christian
Cultural characteristics: The Akha are among the poorest of Thailand’s ethnic minorities and reside mainly in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces, along mountain ridges or steep slopes 1000m to 1400m in altitude. They are regarded by most Thais as skilled farmers but are often displaced from arable land by government intervention. Their traditional clothing consists of a headdress of beads, feathers and dangling silver ornaments. The well-known Akha Swing Ceremony takes place from mid-August to mid-September, between planting and harvest time. Akha houses are constructed of wood and bamboo, usually atop short wooden stilts and roofed with thick grass. At the entrance of every traditional Akha village stands a simple wooden gateway consisting of two vertical struts joined by a lintel. Akha shamans affix various charms made from bamboo strips to the gateway to prevent malevolent spirits from entering. Standing next to each village gateway are the crude wooden figures of a man and a woman, each bearing exaggerated sexual organs, in the belief that human sexuality is abhorrent to the spirit world.
LAHU (MUSOE)
Population: 102,876
Origin: Tibet
Present locations: south China, Thailand, Myanmar
Economy: dry rice, corn
Belief system: theistic animism (supreme deity is Geusha); some groups are Christian
Cultural characteristics: The Thai term for this tribe, moo·seu, is derived from a Burmese word meaning ‘hunter’, a reference to their skill in the forest. The Lahu tend to live at about 1000m altitude and can be found in remote areas of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Tak provinces. There are five main groups – Red Lahu, Black Lahu, White Lahu, Yellow Lahu and Lahu Sheleh. Traditional dress consists of black-and-red jackets with narrow skirts worn by women; bright green or blue-green baggy trousers worn by men. Houses are built of wood, bamboo and grass, and usually stand on short wooden posts. Lahu food is probably the spiciest of all the cuisines.
LISU (LISAW)
Population: 55,000
Origin: Tibet
Present locations: Thailand, Yunnan
Economy: rice, corn, livestock
Belief system: animism with ancestor worship and spirit possession
Cultural characteristics: Lisu villages are usually