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The Yao call themselves Mien. They are linguistically grouped together with the Meo tribe
in the Meo -Yao branch of the Austro - Thai family.
They are found in Yunnan in China [in Kwangxi and Kwangtung Provinces of
South China], from where they originated, in Laos, Viet-Nam and Burma. There are about 60,000 Yao people in Thailand.
Their villages are widely scattered throughout the northeast, with concentrations around Nan, Phayao and Chiang Rai.
There are also a few Yao villages in Chiang Mai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, and Tak.
There are perhaps another 10,000 or so refugees from Laos, living along the border. The Yao are animists and ancestors
worshippers and are influenced from Chinese Taoism. They have adopted many characteristics of Chinese culture as well.
The Yao hail from southern China, and at one time had considerable power within the Chinese empire, to the extent that
at one time a Yao princess was married to an emperor of China.
They are the only hill tribe to use a written language. Their language, long ago derived from Chinese, is written in
Chinese Characters, and they practice a written religion base on medieval Chinese Taoism, although in recent years there
have been many converts to Christianity and Buddhism.
They are a very peaceable and friendly people, who pride themselves on cleanliness and honor. The costume of the women
is very distinctive, with a long black jacket with lapels of bright scarlet wool. Heavily embroidered loose trousers in
intricate designs are worn, and a similarly embroidered black turban. The teeth are commonly capped with gold. The skull
caps of babies are very beautiful, richly embroidered with red or pink pom-poms. On special occasions, women and
children wear silver neck rings, with silver chains extending down the back decorated with silver ornaments. Men wear a
loose jacket which buttons diagonally across the front, with embroidered pockets and edgings.
Yao women are noted for their magnificent cross-stitch embroidery, which richly decorates the clothing of every member
of the family. The costume of the women is very distinctive, with a long black jacket with lapels of bright scarlet
wool. Loose trousers in intricate designs are worn and a similarly embroidered black turban. Yao silversmiths produce
lovely silver jewelry of high quality.
Yao villages are at high altitude, built usually of wooden planks on a dirt road. There is a guest platform of bamboo in
the communal living area, and two or more bedrooms. Girls of marriageable age have a private bedroom in which they can
entertain suitors.
Their houses feature a space designed for a cooking fire in the center of
their main room, as well as a small shrine dedicated to their ancestors and to the guardian spirit they believe to
inhabit each individual house. Girls of marriageable age have a private bedroom in which they can entertain suitors.
Some Yao grow opium, although in general the incidence is declining. For living they corn and rice. The Yao are now
integrating into Thai life. Their exquisite embroidery is a very sale able commodity, and their willingness to adopt new
crops gives hope for their future prosperity within Thailand.
Their economy for several generations has been based quite largely on the cultivation and marketing of opium, although
opium addiction is relatively rare among them. With the present drive to stamp out the cultivation of the opium poppy in
Thailand, the Yao find it necessary to seek other means of lively hood.
Households with extended families are common, and polygamous marriage is practiced. Like the Hmong, Mien boys must
choose their wives from outside their clans. When a proper bride price is paid they take their wives to live with their
parents and any children automatically become members of the father's clan. If a man is poor or a woman is an only
daughter, the man may may either live all his life with his wife's family or live with them for just a few years before
taking his family back to his parental house. Premarital sexual relationships are common and cross-cousin marriage is
preferred. The adoption of children from outside or inside the tribe is widely practised.
he Yao are the "businessmen" among the Hilltribes, and they also excel in
the making of metal farm implements such as axes and plows. Because they've long had a written language, unlike several
of the other tribes, they also know how to make high quality paper.
The Yao hold their New Year celebration on the same days as the Chinese. |
