Introduce : Akha in Thailand

      This article comes from the book- “study and the culture of Akha in Chiangrai: 8 groups of Akha tribe – 2003. Akha is the name of the people of a hilltribe that have their own language, beliefs, clothes and way of living. The 8 groups have basic similarities but some even have a different language; like the Ulow Akha and the Aker Akha, who do not understand each other.
The 8 Akha groups of Thailand are:

1.Uloh Akha         The Uloh Akha is a Thai Akha. This group was the first to move to the north of Thailand and stay, moving to DoiTung, Maefahluang. This group is very big and is mostly in Chiangrai, also moving to Chiangmai. The government gives 2 Thai Akhas the opportunity to develop their village; the Akha village at DoiSanjai, Maefahluang and the Akha village at Doisangow Chinagsan district. Chiangrai. 'Uloh' means a sharp hat, with the 'U' from Udoo meaning a sharp, high circle. The name is given to the Akha by the hat that they wear and this is a prominent group for their hats. The Thai Akha are a large number in Thailand with around 32,500 people spreading around the 5 provinces of Chiangrai, Chiangmai,Lamphang, Prae and Tak in the north of Thailand. Some of these people retain their traditional beliefs, respecting their ancestor spirits and others changed to buddism, Christianity and Islam. Sanjaroengao has the largest population of Akha people. The Uloh Akha language has become the standard between Akha people and is used to communicate between different groups.

2.LorMee Akha         The LorMee Akha is a Burmese Akha. Their population is smaller than the Uloh Akha but this group is known to be energetic. These groups moved from Burma and live in Chiangrai and Chiangmai in Thailand. They moved to Thailand after Uloh Akha, and abundantly, to Maefahluang and the Maesuay district, Chinagrai. The name LorMee comes from DoiMee- the hill in Burma where they originated. They didn't stay in Burma and so their name changed to be different from the original DoiMee. These groups have a population of around 19, 000 people throughout Chiangrai, Chiangmai and the Tak province. Around 55 % keep to the old traditional beliefs, respecting their ancestor spirits with the same ceremony as the Uloh Akha, though some groups changed to Buddhism and Christianity. The language is the same as the Uloh Akha but uses a higher tone and is spoken faster.

3.Phamee Akha.         Phamee Akha is a Chinese Akha. These groups have lived in China and had an exchange of culture with the Chinese people and are therefore called merchant. With lineage from Sibsongpanna, Yunnan, they mostly live in China, but a few groups live in Thailand in places such as Maesai, Maejan, Maesuay in the Chinagrai province and the Tak province. The village Phamee is called so because this is where bears are found living in the cliffs around the Maesai area. The Akha people moved to live in this area and so call the village DoiPhamee, calling themselves the Phamee Akha. These groups have 2 communities in Thailand; Phamee village in Maesai and Maejantai village in Maesuay, later moving to Giwsadai village, Maejan. When a ceremony takes place, these groups will come together to meet. They have a few different names given from people outside the group, such as Lahbour Akha which means China Akha or Ubya Akha. The population of this group is around 5,200 and they are spread across Tak and Chinagrai. They have old traditional beliefs, respecting the ancestor's spirit and also, similarly to the other groups, they converted to Christianity.

4.Pear Akha.         This group is migrant from Burma because of the conflict in their country and they are living in Maefahluang. 'Pear Akha' comes from the leader of their country since they originate in Burma. The population of this group is around 4,500 and they live around Chiangrai and Lamphang. Around 10% retain their old traditional beliefs but most of them converted to Christianity. The language is similar to Uloh Akha, but they speak much louder-almost like shouting- so much that people from outside their group may think they are fighting!

5.NahKha Akha         The Nahkha Akha moved from the border between China and Burma. They moved to Thailand after experiencing conflict living on the border, and not having security of the Chinese government from pirates. 'NahKha' is simply the name of the village where they lived in China. They have a population of around 1,900 living in Chinagrai in the Maesuay District. They changed their religion to that of the city they moved to and they are Christian, using the same language as the Phamee Akha. A big NahKha Akha group in Thailand is in Pattana Seri, Maesuay district Chiangrai.

6.Arkher Akha         The Akher Akha moved from China close to Tibet. Firstly they moved to Burma, but the government did nothing to protect them from pirates and so they moved again to Thailand. Arkher Akha is the name given by the other Akha groups because they are so different in ways such as language and clothing. The names they use themselves are Kohkuer or Onjeyor. The population is around 650 and they live in Chiangrai at Maesuay. They believe and practice the old traditions but some groups did change and became christian. The language is absolutely different to the other Akha, but when communicating between other Akha groups they use the Uloh language.

7.UPhee Akha         This group moved from Burma because of the pirates and conflict in Burma and UPhee Akha moved to ChiangTung. UPhee Akha are named by the type of hat they wear. They have a population of around 650 and live in Chiang Rai at Maefahluang. Their beliefs changed to conform to those of the city and now they are Christian. They use the same language as the Uloh Akha.

8.ArJoh Akha         The ArJoh Akha are migrants from Burma because the conflict in that country and they moved to stay at Mae-seay, Chiang Mai. They are named 'ArJoh' because they changed from their old traditions to new ways. The population of this group is around 650 and they live in the PongPom village. Most of the population changed to be a Christian and they use a language similar to Uloh Akha.

 Information from the research of Patiphan Ayi.

http://akha.hilltribe.org

Introduce : the Akha

The Akha, also known to the Thai as the Gaw or the E-gaw (names that the Akha do not like), are located primarily with Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces. The Akha are closely related with the Hani of Yunnan province, China, the Akha-Hani complex numbers about two to three million people, but with just over 70,000 members in Thai territory. The Akha speak a language in the Lolo/Yi branch of the Tibeto-Burman language group, but have no traditional written language. There are a variety of schemes for writing Akha developed by missionaries or linguists which employ Roman, Thai or Burmese characters, but literacy in Akha is still virtually nil. The Akha are traditionally subsistence farmers, growing a variety of crops including rice and corn. Though many Akha, especially younger people, profess Christianity, Akha Zang (The Akha Way), a total lifestyle perscribed in the oral literature of the Akhas, still runs deep in the consciousness of older generations. The Akha Way combines animism, ancestor worship and their deep relationship with the land.. For an Akha, the Akha Way is a way of life which extends beyond simple religious practice and infuses every aspect of their existence. The Akha Way emphasizes rituals in everyday life and stresses strong family ties; every Akha male can recount his geneology back over fifty generations to the first Akha, Sm Mi O. But the chain of continuity so important for Akha people is being broken. A combination of Thai schooling, land restrictions, some missionary activities, technology and a feeling of social inferiority to lowland Thais is making the once essential Akha Way less attractive and relevant for younger generations who are rapidly integrating into Thai society.

http://akha.hilltribe.org

introduce : Legend of Akha

     The Akha people believe that before they have Sumio (Recite the lineage), everything in the world such as the wind, sky and the air can speak. After Sumio, both human and spirit can speak. In the past they believed that humans had a wrest 7 cubits and speaking ever since they were born. As the story goes, a man goes to the forest to find wood to make a mortar. While he was out, his wife gave birth to their newborn child and the son went to the forest to find his father after asking his mother about his father’s whereabouts. The man chopped a tree which fell on top of his son.

      A twig stabbed into his son’s shoulder. The man chopped the twig from his son’s shoulder, and from that time on, humans have a small body. After Sumio, there are many more lineages and the last one is JeTherPer and TherPerMor. TherPerMor is the first person of Akha and JeTherPer is the mother of human and spirit also gives the religion birth to the world. Akha calls this person “Ama Mata”. Ama means Mother and Mata means together. The meaning of “AMa Mata” is the mother of human and spirit. The character of this person has 9 breasts at the back for the spirit and 2 in front for the human. That is why humans have 2 breasts now. At that time, the human and the spirit were family. The spirit worked in the night while the human worked in the day. The tiger and buffalo also lived together, as well as the eagle and the chicken also.

      

          When Ama Mata died, the human and the spirit started fighting. The eagle and chicken also went separate ways while conflict arose between the tiger and buffalo. The human and the spirit cannot be family because they can not run the ceremony together – the human and the spirit are absolutely different as the spirit sleeps in the day, which is opposite from the human. Ama Mata died in the day time and would like to give 9 breasts to the human. However the human rejected the offer and the 9 breasts were then turned to the spirit.
The spirit raised the ceremony for Ama Mata by inviting the religion spirit leader (Phima) to find pregnant animals as offerings in the ceremony. However, all of the animals escaped except a bear and a squirrel. Hence now if the Akha people go hunting and end up with two animals, it would mean that the animals cannot be eaten as the Akha believe that the animals signify offerings in the Ama Mata ceremony.
During the ceremony, the religion leader, or Phima, prayed for the Ama Mata to be taken to heaven, but Ama Mata stood up and said “I cannot go because the way is difficult.” Phima prayed 3 days and 3 nights but Ama Mata still could not go to heaven. The spirit then invited the human religion leader (the first religion leader of Akha people) to come to pray for Ama Mata. The religion leader also prayed for 3 days and 3 nights. Finally, the Ama Mata died and went to heaven. This was how the ceremony originated and this ceremony is still being practiced now.
After Ama Mata died, the human and the spirit lived in the same house but they started to have fights because they had differing preferences. When one of them went to work, they would accuse each other of stealing their things but in reality no one saw each other do it. Finally, both of them swore that they will live separately, have their own personal area, and stop seeing each other by letting the human close his eyes and turn his back against the spirit. However, the spirit is still able to see the human. They also separated their respective ceremony times. The humans held theirs in the day while the spirits held theirs at night. They closed the dog’s eye by threshing the basket. This is why if the dog howls or barks at night, it means that it has seen the spirit. The Akha believe that the spirit sees the human while the human cannot see the spirit and the human is fearful of the spirit.
Usually, Akha people use swear words between humans and spirits and they do not cross the line each other at each other’s incantation. Also, the Akha believe that the spirit is afraid of saliva because when the spirit touches saliva, they will have leprosy. When the Akha are in danger, they will spit saliva to protect themselves from the spirits.  
http://akha.hilltribe.org

Lifestyle Birth

The new born Akha baby will be watched by the parents that will be a boy or a girl. If the new born baby is a boy, there will be a pride of the father according to the Akha's belief that a boy will be the only one who descends. If we talk about the giving birth of Akha tribe or others hill tribes, we are not talking about giving birth at the hospital which will receive good care from a nurse. They do not receive a convenient thing such as declaring the birth, adding name in the census record or the right that a baby should receive. In the opposite way, giving birth, in the past, will do in the community that has a midwife of Akha called “Ya Chi A Ma” using their wit and local equipment i.e. using a clean sharp “Heir” wood instead of scissor to cut the umbilical cord and a mother takes a rest for a few days and get back to work. When a baby born in the community that is situated far away from civilization, a baby will not receive the right according to the law because the tribe do not know about the declaring the birth which is the problem until now. At present Akha has more knowledge in management because the new generation goes to school and has been educated and bring back the knowledge to use with the community. Birth In the past, the daughter-in-law could not give birth in her own house, she had to give birth at the other house where especially build for her unlikely the daughter of the owner of the house. For the people who will be making the birth is the third-aged person who has knowledge in making birth or a midwife in the village which Akha called “Ya Chi A Ma”. Ya Chi A Ma use a sharp “Heir” wood to cut the umbilical cord and tie it with string. Ya Chi A Ma brings a baby to a mother and buries a placenta at the basement near the main column of the house. The placenta has fork out by wood and is bury by placing the top over and closing the hole by the wood then the next day before dawn, covers up the hole by the ashes. After Ya Chi A Ma brings a baby to a mother, a mother has to bring a baby sits on the chair at the main column of the house then Ya Chi A Ma gives a boiled egg to a mother to eat according to Akha's belief that boiled egg can reduce pain and reduce bleeding. Moreover, Akha tights a gold or silver plate like Eve's fig leaf called “Jey Jong” at the stomach believes that is the one way to cure the disease. To tighten the stomach helps the symptom of a dizzy or a stroke of a newly given baby mother. A mother will wear Akha hat to a baby after that will bring a baby to do the naming ceremony and performing rites welcoming. Within 9-10 days after giving birth, a mother and a baby must stay inside the house to lie near an open fire for warmth as well as sanitation (called Ya Seu Long Aeo). When the umbilical cord comes off and finds it, Akha brings it to bury with the placenta. A mother takes her baby to visit relative within the village, this counts as the first time to take baby to greet villagers. Ten days later, a mother has to take her baby travel outside the village and on the way back, if her baby is a girl, she has to bring a leaf back to home and if a baby is a boy, she has to bring a treetop. This tells a sex of her baby. To name a baby: When a baby born in the first day, a midwife will give name to a baby and make the spiritual ceremony. Giving name to a baby does according to the Akha tradition that is using the last word of a father's name to be a first character of a baby when the ceremony done a parent can not tell a baby name for nine to ten days.

http://akha.hilltribe.org

Lifestyle : Culture land

      The word “Akha” means people from afar. The name aptly explains this community that live in hills far from civilization.

      The Akha are fun-loving, enjoying dance and song even as they travel to and from their farms. The Akha like to blow sideways through a plucked leaf to produce sweet-sounding music and it is common for young Akha men and women to sing while planting crops in the valley. Akha couples part with song when the sun sets before retreating home also.
      Every night, Akha teenagers gather at the community grounds or “Dae-Khong” or “Ga-Ba” and often linger until the following morning. This is where teenagers, housewives, elderly and children gather at the end of every day, often in traditional dress.

      It is here that Akha culture is passed from one generation to the next as elder Akha members spend the most time with Akha youth here. Further, these gatherings provide the only opportunity for Akha teenagers to meet each other since male and female teenagers work separately during the day.
      The civilization of city and the expansion serves the electricity from the big community reaches to Akha communities that still have take respect the original. This issue will may not directly but consider carefully, it will be the importance on other hand that make Akha grounds culture abandoned people fungus has in during nighttime that everybody gets back from the field, become the period time that don't be lonely again because there is the television programmed, many interesting list, to follow and give the data, the information in time that worldly progress more than standing besieges to a circle, sing the song that never end and it like as have the a lot of detail, exceedingly tradition. The grounds culture (Dae-Khong ) in today vanish from the memory of the young generation. The Akha village during nighttime do not be lonely because the song of Loso (the famous band) resound throughout both of the valley and that be the way has that us has chosen already?

Lifestyle : Death

The death in Akha belief is the change from human world to the hereafter where is the place for their ancestors spirits. If they do the right ceremony after death; it is said that the spirits won't be in dangers. In contrast, they will protect the following generations for eternally remaining their clans. As soon as there is somebody died, the members in the family will take a bath for the corpses and dress them the new clothes. They will put the silver coin in the dead body's mouth and tell them to spend that money for whatever he/she wants. Then, they will tie the dead body with the black fabric and cover it again with the red fabric. Afterward, the corpses is ready to prepare the ceremony, his/her son will call all the names of his/her ancestors who are in the same race. In case of the son has no ability about that;" Pima" a religion leader of Akha will perform the ceremony instead. He will pray for funerals every nights until the corpses is taken to bury. Some of the relatives who come to the funeral may gambling, some are crying with sorrow or mourning for a death and also do the black magic as their belief.

The Funeral The ceremony before burying, the shaman will be invited to pay in the funeral in Akha style for 3 days and 2 nights without any mistake. The sorcery is about the way for the spirit of the death to reach to the peaceful place at the hereafter. If the person who died was the important aged, at least one buffalo will be killed for the scarification. The only expert shaman (Pima) who can call all spirit to help stabbing the buffalo in the right way. There are many brave men had to hold the buffalo's head and open its mouth while others are stabbing. The water will be poured into the buffalo's mouth in order to stop the roar and it's' head will be drown out with the chaff after the slaughter is done.

The Interment Many strong men will carry the coffin which is tied with the 2 long beams from the house to the cemetery. There will be the hold for bury the corpse which is digging in a line shape from East to West. One of the coffin carriers will grab a handful of grass (The grasses are the material to make the roof) and he will stick it with a robe for closing the coffin. It indicates as the symbol that the alive people will share a place to stay for the dead body. Next, the small area of rice field will be given to him/her as well and the ceremony will be held at the cemetery. On the hole with the corpse in while which is already drown out, there are the personal stuffs of the dead body such as a pipe, a teacup, a gourd, the equipments for living and the prong will be put over the beginning of the hole as the symbol of the satchel for containing food for him/her. When the ceremony is done, the members in the same family of the dead body back to their house, they will have a sending spirit meal together for emphasizing the dead person about the boundary of alive people and the death. He/she should not disturb the alive people. Afterward, there will be the ceremony which is held for inviting the spirit of the dead person to protect their relatives a year after the death as same as other ancestors.

The Terribly Death The death which is Akhas believes that are bad: died in a violent death and died without the person who can continue their clans. For the first kind of death, there will be the ceremony to wash away their sins or make the apologize deities and ghosts before taking him/her to bury at the cemetery in the village. There are 3 other different deaths which are forbidden to bury at the cemetery but those corpses have to take to bury at the special place. There are the death that causes by the tiger, the death which cause by drown and the death from smallpox. The hole will have to be especially deep because the dog will be buried over the dead body in order to block the ghost to disturb the alive people. For the death without a person who can continue their clans: the ceremony will almost be held as same as normal but there is one difference that the wall will be punctured for taking the dead body that way. It can not be taken by the door because there is no more someone to worship the ancestor and the shelter will be dismantled and take it to the forest while the corpse is buried.

The person who throws away the shelter has to say out loud to the ancestors that as the result of the inability of protecting the grandchildren, then, nobody will worship him/her. It extremely shows that Akahs have a strong idea about the family duty tradition. In general, Akahs will not talk about death or do something that can invite the spirits back to their bodies again such as knock the coffin next to the corpses, whistle in a room or wife/husband calls the black magic of the dead bodies. It is believed that when they are alive, they should not be worried about the death and when they left the world, it is not their business to interfere with the world once again.

Lifestyle : Entertainment

The Akha is the hill tribe people who have the simple lifestyle, living from hand to mouth. They will sing a song after they left the village gate while they are out for farming. Men sing when they crop or do something which cause them the loneliness. They want someone to be with for comforting them from it. They respond the song with women when they got to their farms. The women may work in the different fields with the men. They sing a song as saying goodbye and making an appointment in night time at the cultural field. It was a very colorful life but it is quite difficult to be seen at present because there are the developments which influence their lifestyle. There are almost all forgotten from the reality and the remained things are only the stories told by the old people in the society.

he Akha's entertainments can be named into 2 groups:
The entertainments played in the ceremonies:

The top (Chong) is the Akha recreation which only played one time a year when there is the ceremony or tradition. Playing top is the entertainment that brings them joy and it is the male amusement. The day that ceremony is held, men leave their houses since early morning for cutting the hardwood to make the tops, sharping the top of the wood. Somebody may put the sharp iron at the tip. This tip can make the tops spin for long time. After the tops are done, they are playing those tops by dividing into 2 groups and play a game together. The Akha Swing (Loa Cher Bee Err), this tradition is annually held at late of August untill the beginning of September after the rice and corn planting are done. There are 3 different kinds of swings: The giant swing which is built by the cooperation of villagers (Laa Cher) The Spinned Swing (Kam Laa La Cher) The Small Swing which is built at the front of each house (Err Ler). The Akha Swing Ceremony makes a great fun and wonderful time to people and it means to fertilise their plants as well. The Dancing (Bor Chong Too Err) is held only during the ceremony. Both men and women are wearing thier beautiful tribal dresses and they come to the field of village or the wide place. There are the equipments for dancing: The wood drum Cow-dear skin (Tong) Gong (Bo Lo) Small up-shaped cymbals (Jair Lair) Wood tube (Bor Chong) There are different kinds of dancing: Dancing in a circle, they dance by following the rhythm of the drum and move from left to right all together. The bamboos hitting style, women have to have the bamboo tube to hit one another for making a noise and men may dance in circle with women as well. A pitch-and-toss game (Ar Ber Chor Err) is played during the ceremony or The Yoor Kam Day because they are having free time. This is regarded as a female game. They keep the snuffbox bean for making toys. This game is usually played in team. The General Entertainments The Three-wheels is a game which is not able to find the its background but it is the popular game for the Akha children. They get a big piece of wood to make 3 wheels. Next, these woods will be tightly hammered or tied all together. There is only one wheel at the front and 2 wheels on the back. Moving to the speed tips; the rinds are hammered or pounded into tiny pieces and stick it on the wheels. This kind of rinds are sticky and slippery. It makes a great speed for 3 wheels. The children will preserve it for using in the future. The Akha kids like to bite the rinds and chew them into the small pieces and when they are ready to use, they stick it on the wheel. Three wheels is a dangerous game. It may cause dangers in the case that children did not make it well enough. The BamBoo Longed Legs (Mor Nor) is the adventurous game for people who have never played before because the player have to make balance and it is quite tall. There is the background of The Akha Bamboo Longed Legs: long time ago Akha had settled down together with Thai Lier but they could not get along with each other. Thai Lier had set many sport competitions such as the archery, running and so on. The Akha were almost the losers in every game. After the defeat, they gathered together and discussed about the way to beat Thai Lier up. They had the idea to create The Bamboo Longed Legs in roder to win Thai Lier. Then, the Akha set a team for the game and seriously practise by cutting the bamboo which was as long as they could find. The Akha went to Thai Lier village by walking on The Bamboo Longed Legs at night and dropped the goat's shits around the field in the village. The following day, they crowded around and looked at the goat's shits. They were antonished by the goat's shits without their footmarks. Another night, the Akha went to Thai Lier village by walking on The Bamboo Longed Legs once again. This time they fooled dogs to bark. The Thai Lier went out to find the reason that made the dogs bark but they found nothing because the bamboos were very tall and it was also dark. When the time passed by, the Thai Lier felt uncomfortable with the situations. They thought that they were teasing by ghosts. Then, they moved out from the village. Then, the Akha had conquered Thai Lier's place and this is the backgroud of the Akha Bamboo Longed Legs. The Akha went to Thai Lier village by walking on The Bamboo Longed Legs at night and dropped the goat's shits around the field in the village. The following day, they crowded around and looked at the goat's shits. They were antonished by the goat's shits without their footmarks. Another night, the Akha went to Thai Lier village by walking on The Bamboo Longed Legs once again. This time they fooled dogs to bark. The Thai Lier went out to find the reason that made the dogs bark but they found nothing because the bamboos were very tall and it was also dark. When the time passed by, the Thai Lier felt uncomfortable with the situations. They thought that they were teasing by ghosts. Then, they moved out from the village. Then, the Akha had conquered Thai Lier's place and this is the backgroud of the Akha Bamboo Longed Legs. The Cultural Yard / The Community Yard ( Dae Khong / Kar Par) The entertainments which were played at The Cultural Yard were the night entertainments under the bright moonlight. After the returning from the fileds, both men and women were preparing themselves to go there ( Dae Khong). They wore their traditional hill tribe dresses for dancing and singing the songs and they might chat with the old generation about the traditions and cultures. Turning to the men, they had to collect the firewood for lighting. Besides, they also danced and it was a great chance for them to choose their mates for the rest of their whole lives. After the entertainment was done, those youngers would return their homes for taking a rest because they had to work in the fields the next day. The Akha lifestyle at that time was just like mentioned before because they did not have the great education. Then, they were on the disadvantage about that. However, they were really smart about the folk knowledge that they should reserve and passes it through generations. The smoking competition (Hor Chee Hor Tha Err) It is the entertainment for the old people who smoke the tobacco. They will gather together and make a competition by smoking the tobacco until it turns red as much as possible. After that, they are playing the games, questioning things. When the games are over, they will have to smoke again and whose pipes have no more fire. That means, the people are loser and the people who still can smoke are the winner. This entertainment is the game for the old people when they have free time. The cup moulding (Orr Mar Tae Err), children are digging clay for prick in the middle of the clay by their elbows and make a whole which is similar to the cups. Then, they pour water in that hole. It is the entertainment for kids played in the ceremony; they have to pray the incantation when the old people are died. Therefore, it is one of the important entertainments for the Akha.

http://akha.hilltribe.org