Lisu
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 belongs to the Tibeto - Burman branch of the Sino - Tibetan linguistic family.Lisu is divided into two ethnic subgroups
The Flowery or Hua Lisu
The Black or He Lisu.
Most of the Lisu in Thailand is flowery Lisu. Their settlements are located in the highlands at an average altitude of about 1,000 meters. Like most hill people, the Lisu are heavily engaged in agriculture, grow rice, corn and vegetables as subsistence crops. They draw additional income from the sale of domesticated animals such as pigs and cattle.Traditons: The Lisu are known for their colorful dress, 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 centered 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.Cultivations: Culturally speaking, the Lisu have adopted much which is Chinese, celebrate their New Year on the same day as the Chinese. They are animists and ancestors worshipper sand their reputation as individualists makes them quite distinct.
The Lisu is a fiercely independent people who are in general adjusting well to the changes taking place in their society. They make their clothing from gaily-colored cloth stitched into outfits trimmed with row upon row of varied colored strips of cloth.
The women wear brightly colored costumes, consisting of a blue or green parti-colored 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-colored pom-poms and streamers. Men wear green, pink or yellow baggy pants and a blue jacket opening vertically.
The women wear brightly colored costumes, consisting of a blue or green parti-colored 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-colored 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 hill-tribes, 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. Their shamans are used to divine the causes and cures of all problems and sickness. These hill-tribe people are perhaps the best looking of all the tribes, and they like to think of themselves a little bit above their other hill-tribe 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.
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 Hill-tribe 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 colorful 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 lively hood for many of the Lisu people has been the cultivation of the opium poppy. Some of these people have given up poppy growing and 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.
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 hill-tribes, 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. Their shamans are used to divine the causes and cures of all problems and sickness. These hill-tribe people are perhaps the best looking of all the tribes, and they like to think of themselves a little bit above their other hill-tribe 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.
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 Hill-tribe 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 colorful 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 lively hood for many of the Lisu people has been the cultivation of the opium poppy. Some of these people have given up poppy growing and 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.