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The Lawa or Lua as the northern Thai call them, are found
only in Thailand. The history of the Lawa people is long and
poorly understood. It is certain that they have inhabited
Thailand 800 years ago and they were certainly in Thailand
already when the Thais arrived. They believe that they migrated
from Cambodia, but some archaeologists think their origins
lie in Micronesia, perhaps 2,000 years ago.
The Lawa identify themselves as Lavu'a (La-woe-a). It is estimated
that the Lawa people, once known as the Milakkha or Lowa,
migrated into the northern region of the Mae Ping valley around
660 A.D. They are of Austro-Asiatic stock and according to
protohistorical tradition, they are believed to be the first
settlers in North Thailand. They are linguistically closely
related to the Mon-Khmer and have largely been absorbed into
Thai society.
With such a long history of cohabiting with the Thais (the
legendary king Mengrai who unified Northern Thailand was probably
half Lawa), there has been large scale integration, so that
most Lawa villages are indistinguishable from Thai settlements.
However, in an area of about 500 square kilometres, on the
Bo Luang plateau, between Hot, Mae Sariang and Mae Hong Son,
and in the mountainous area of Umpai, south east Mae Hong
Son. They still live a largely traditional life, although
even here the majority have adopted Buddhism and Thai style
houses.
Unmarried Lawa girls wear loose white blouses edged with
pink. Around the neck distinctive strings of orange and yellow
beads are worn. The tight skirt is in parallel bands of blue,
black, yellow and pink. On marriage, these brightly coloured
clothes are replaced with a long fawn dress, but the strings
of beads are still worn. The hair is tied in a turban, and
it is usual for women to smoke tobacco from a wooden pipe.
With such a long cohabitation with the Thais, most Lawa villages
are indistinguishable from Thai settlements and most Lawa
speak thai as their first language., but the Lawa language,
related to that of the Wa Tribe of Burma, is still spoken
in many villages.
The Lawa in Thailand are estimated to be 17,000.
Their economy is based on subsistence agriculture, with rice
grown on terraces according to a sophisticated rotation system.
The Lawa practise shifting cultivation of the rotational type
and are skillful in making wet rice terraces. They are recognised
as being the most conservation - minded land users in the
highlands.
The Lawa society is similar to that of other tribes in that
descent is traced matrilineal and marriage is monogamous.
Their society is regarded as, having a dual structure. Most
members are classified as Lua or common people. A small group
who trace descent from Khun Luang Wilanka, a proto-historical
Lua King, are called Kun.
The Lawa are animists and ancestor- worshippers who, like
the Thai, combine their traditional beliefs with Buddhism.
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