Chiang Mai – Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand

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In Southeast Asia, there are dozens of mountain-dwelling semi-nomadic peoples that are collectively known as hill tribes. These people live across the borders of five countries: Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and China, particularly Yunnan province. These peoples are collectively known by the name "hill tribes" as they have all subsisted in the mountainous jungle for generations. However, beyond their characteristic montagnard lifestyle, it is difficult (and incorrect) to lump these people under a general heading. These peoples represent a myriad of languages, cultures, styles of dress and belief systems.

None of these tribes live wholly within the borders of Thailand - indeed, the vast majority of tribal people living in Thailand have entered within the past century therefore, in edifying cases, we look at the manifestation of their cultures in response to the political and social environments of other countries, as well.

Of the tribes dealt with in the Museum (www.hilltribe.org), only Mien have a traditional system of writing (based on Chinese characters), so the migration histories of these peoples is left to be derived from oral histories, linguistic data, Han Chinese manuscripts and guesswork. It is believed that all of the tribes, except the Karen, originated in Tibet and migrated over centuries via different paths to Yunnan, China, where the largest concentrations of most of the tribes remain today. The Karen are believed to have orginiated in Burma. Tribal migration into Thailand has been largely the result of flight from war and political oppression in China, Burma and Laos.

There are 6 main tribes within ThailandL Akha, Mien, Hmong, Lahu, Lisu and Karen; each have their own customs and belief systems, each live different ways of life, building, language and farming systems. This site cannot hope to tell you about each, however much of the above has been reproduced with our thanks from www.hilltribe.org, a great place to start understanding their complex and threatened lives.

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