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Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Ethnic Groups Research Database |
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Record |
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| Subject |
Yao, Background, Culture, Social Structure, Politic, Mode of Production, Government Policies, Lampang |
| Author |
Tan Chee Beng |
| Title |
The Yao People: An Introduction, The Yao Village of Khun Haeng, A Yao Bridge Ceremony, The Yao Naming System, A Legendary History of the Origin of the Yao People |
| Document Type |
Article |
Original Language of Text |
English |
| Ethnic Identity |
Mien, Iu Mien,
|
Language and Linguistic Affiliations |
Hmong-Mien |
Location of
Documents |
Chiang Mai University Library, Sirindhorn Anthropology Center Library |
Total Pages |
35 |
Year |
1975 |
| Source |
Farmer in the Hills: Upland People of North Thailand, Anthony R. Walker (Editor) p.21-36, 41-59. Printed by The School of Comparative Social Sciences, Printed at Universiti Sains Malaysia Press. |
| Abstract |
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This article is about Yao culture, beliefs, society, economy and politics focusing on the religious beliefs and rituals, especially the bridge ceremony, a legendary history of the origin of the Yao people and the system of names. - The Yao believe that there is interaction between the world of spirits and the world of human beings. In the world of spirits, there are 18 gods who rule the world of spirits and control the lives and deaths of human beings. Thus human beings have to sacrifice to them for a better life after death. The Yao also sacrifice to the ancestor’s spirit and the village spirit for the family’s happiness and for banishing the bad spirits for causing bad luck and for illness. - The bridge ceremony is a significant ritual for treating illness by consoling the patients or a ritual for extending age or bringing good luck by the shaman banishing bad spirits and inviting good spirits. - The Yao naming system: a male name includes a name for children, a nickname, a name for adult and a name for a spirit. When they are 6 years old, they obtain a name for adult and when they are over 12 years old, they obtain a name for a spirit which is the most special, sacramental and important. A female Yao does not have a name for a spirit or an individual name. The first letter of their names represents the family name, the second represents the sex, the third one represents the birth order and the fourth one is the last letter of their father’s senior’s name. The naming of both males and females signifies the different status between male and female. The male name is more important than the female because it is a patriarchal society and the children’s names come from their fathers. - In the legendary history of the origin of the Yao people it is believed that the Yao are from the dragon dog called Pieun Hu who offered to help an emperor to beat the enemies. After he has succeeded, he gets married to the emperor’s maid of honor and they have 12 children who are the ancestors of 12 families of the Yao. The legendary history has been locally changed, but most of it concerns the dog ancestor.
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