Yang people

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Yang people, also known as the Nhang or Nyang (autonym: jaŋ˩˧), are a

Oudomxay province are more heavily influenced by Tai Dam people
culture (Chazee 1998:23).

Phongsaly province, Laos. It is not known whether the Yang of Laos are indeed related to the Buyang of China. The Yang Zhuang of southwestern Guangxi, China are also similarly named, as well as some groups in northwestern Vietnam that are called "Nhắng".[3]

Language

In February 1998, a 300-word basic vocabulary list of the Yang language was documented by Thongphet Kingsada and

Tadahiko Shintani
in Basic vocabularies of the languages spoken in Phongxaly, Lao P.D.R. (1999).

History

According to Yang elders of Nam Fa village, Vieng Poukha

Dien Bien Phu area of northern Vietnam (Chazee 1998:23). Throughout Laos
today, the Yang practice paddy cultivation near streams in lowlands and valleys, at elevations of between 400 and 800 meters.

The Yang of Ay village, Namo District claim to have come from the

Phongsaly traditionally belonging to the Tai Lue people. After two Indochinese wars, the Tai Lue returned from China
to reclaim their territory, and settled in Khuang village instead, several kilometers away. There were 3 destructive fires in Ay village, in 1940, 1970, and 1991. After 1991, some families left Ay to form the two villages of Ponxay Savan and Somsavanh nearby, believing Ay to be haunted by malevolent spirits from the 1991 fire.

Distribution

The Yang are distributed in the following villages of

  • Phongsaly
    • Khua District: Mone Savanh, Hat Xeui
    • Gnot Ou District: Xum Kham, Tha
    • Boun Tai District: Na Mak, Na Tene, Vieng Xai, Long Nam, Long Nay Khao
    • Boun Neua District: Muong Xou
  • Oudomxay
    • Beng District: Khone
    • Namo District: Ay, Sonsavath, Ponxay Savan, Namo Neua
    • Xay District: Long Ya
  • Luang Namtha
    • Vieng Poukha District: Nam Fa
    • Nale District: Nam Huay

Yang culture is best preserved in Vieng Poukha and Nale districts of Luang Namtha province (Chazee 1998).

References

  1. ^ "Results of Population and Housing Census 2015" (PDF). Lao Statistics Bureau. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  2. ^ Outlying Kam-Tai: notes on Ta Mit Laha.
  3. ^ Doling, Tim. 2010. Mountains and Ethnic Minorities: North West Việt Nam. Hà Nội: Thế Giới Publishers.
  4. ^ Kingsadā, Thō̜ngphet, and Tadahiko Shintani. 1999 Basic Vocabularies of the Languages Spoken in Phongxaly, Lao P.D.R. Tokyo: Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA).
  • Chazee, Laurent. 1998. Rural and ethnic diversities in Laos with special focus on the northern provinces. Presented for the Workshop on "Rural and Ethnic diversities in Laos with special focus on Oudomxay and Sayabury development realities", in Oudomxay province, 4–5 June 1998. SESMAC projects Lao/97/002 & Lao/97/003: Strengthening Economic and Social Management Capacity, Sayabury and Oudomxay provinces.