태국 산악부족 리수족/Lisu족 자료(영문)

 

 

There are about 30,000 Lisu People in Thailand. They are scattered throughout all of north Thailand, particularly between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, and also in western Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Tak, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Rhet, and Phetchabun provinces.

The Lisu belong to the Tibeto - Burman branch of the Sino - Tibetan linguistic family.

They are divided into two ethnic subgroups

• The Flowery or Hua Lisu
• The Black or He Lisu.

Most of the Lisu in Thailand are flowery Lisu. Their settlements are located in the highlands at an average altitude of about 1,000 metres. Like most hill people, the Lisu are heavily engaged in agriculture. They grow rice, corn and vegetables as subsistence crops and grow opium for sale. They draw additional income from the sale of domesticated animals such as pigs and cattle.

The Lisu are known for their colorful dress. The Lisu probably originated in Eastern Tibet but came to Thailand from Yunnan in China about 100 years ago.

 

 

 

 

The Lisu tribe is made up of several clans. The clan is important because it stands as the chief determinant of kinship relations and marriage rules. Monogamy and clan exogamy are the ideal practices which, when followed, strengthen familial ties and provide a cohesive force in Lisu society. Kinship relations are centred on the family and extended in increasingly wider circles to the tribe as a whole. Lisu solidarity, despite the lack of a political secular leader at village level, depends on this in a way that differentiates them from other tribes.

Culturally speaking, the Lisu have adopted much which is Chinese. For example, they celebrate their New Year on the same day as the Chinese. They are animists and ancestors worshippersand their reputation as individualists makes them quite distinct.

The Lisu are a fiercely independent people, who are in general adjusting well to the changes taking place in their society. They make their clothing from gaily-coloured cloth stitched into outfits trimmed with row upon row of vari-coloured strips of cloth.

The women wear brightly coloured costumes, consisting of a blue or green parti-coloured knee length tunic, split up the sides to the waist, with a wide black belt and blue or green pants. Long hair is tied at the back. Sleeves, shoulders and cuffs are heavily embroidered with narrow, horizontal bands of blue, red and yellow. At New Year festival, in mid- January, dazzling displays of wealth are worn, including waistcoats and belts of intricately fashioned silver and hats with multi-coloured pom-poms and streamers. Men wear green, pink or yellow baggy pants and a blue jacket opening vertically.

The Lisu live at moderate to high altitudes. Their houses are built on the ground, with dirt floors and bamboo walls around a central ridge. They live as extended families, the number of bedrooms depending on the family size. The Lisu like to settle near the tops of mountains, as close as possible to streams or waterfalls. Their houses never have more than one door and are oriented to stand parallel to the face of the mountain on which they live.

Each village has a spirit house, and each house has a small shrine to spirits an ancestors. In addition, because the Lisu are the "engineers" among the Hilltribes, most of their villages feature a large bamboo pipe, a conduit, that carries to the village water from the nearest source. Unmarried girls have a private bedroom after puberty. Every home has an altar at the back of the communal living area with a shelf holding vessels and incense sticks honoring their ancestors.

The Lisu believe strongly in the spirit world, and their shamans are used to divine the causes and cures of all problems and sickness. These hilltribe people are perhaps the best looking of all the tribes, and they like to think of themselves a little bit above their other hilltribe neighbors. They are among the least bashful of these ethnic groups and in general adjusting well to the changes taking place in their society.

 

 

Although promiscuous, courtship and marriage are highly stylized, involving a high "bride price". There are twelve clans of Lisu, and marriage should be between members of different clans. The Lisu believe strongly in the spirit world, and their shamans are used to divine the causes and cures of all problems and sickness.

Many Lisu villages were involved in the opium trade, and are reputed to have grown the best opium. Addiction rates are declining, and the Lisu are responding well to alternative cash crop production, but the link between wealth and opium is still strong. A Lisu headman has little power over his community, with the clan system generally over-riding his authority.

The Lisu are a handsome people, perhaps the best looking of all the tribes, and they like to think of themselves as a cut or two above their other Hilltribe neighbors. Consequently, they are among the least bashful of these ethnic groups, and, although patient, like to be a bit competitive as well.

Villages of this colourful ethnic group are to be found in the mountains of China, Myanmar (Burma) and northern Thailand. There are approximately 21000 Lisu living in Thailand. For many generations the main means of livelyhood for many of the Lisu people has been the cultivation of the opium poppy. Some of these people have given up poppy growing, and are now seeking to supplement their income through the sale of skillfully produced crafts. Lisu men produce crossbows, musical instruments, bird and animal traps, and other items made of wood, bamboo and rattan. A few Lisu people have been converted to christianity by western missionaries.

Provided by :: Tourism Authority of Thailand