The Jingpho people or Kachin people (Burmese: ကချင်လူမျိုး; MLCTS: ka. hkyang lu. myui:, pronounced [kətɕɪ̀ɴ lù mjó]; simplified Chinese:景颇族; traditional Chinese: 景頗族; pinyin: Jǐngpō zú; also Jingpo or Singpho; endonyms: Jinghpaw, Tsaiva, Lechi, Theinbaw, Singfo,Chingpaw)[1]) are an ethnic group who largely inhabit the Kachin Hills in northern Burma's Kachin State and neighbouring areas of China andIndia. The Jingpo form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they numbered 132,143 people in the 2000 census. The Singpho constitute the same ethnic identity, albeit living in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, an area also controversially claimed by China.
The Jingpo people are an ethnic affinity of several tribal groups, known for their fierce independence, disciplined fighting skills, complex clan inter-relations, embrace of Christianity, craftsmanship, herbal healing and jungle survival skills. Other neighbouring residents of Kachin State include the Shans (Thai/Lao related), the Lisus, the Rawangs, the Nagas, and the Burmans, the latter forming the largest ethnic group in Burma, also called Bamar.
The Shan (Shan: တႆး; IPA: [tɑ́ɪ], Burmese: ရှမ်းလူမျိုး; [ʃán lùmjó]; Chinese: 掸族 or 傣族; pinyin: Shànzú) are a Tai ethnic group ofSoutheast Asia. The Shan live primarily in the Shan State of Burma (Myanmar), but also inhabit parts of Mandalay Division, Kachin State, and Kayin State, and in adjacent regions of China and Thailand.[1] Though no reliable census has been taken in Burma since 1935, the Shan are estimated to number approximately 6 million.
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Wa (Va)
The Va nationality (Va: Vāx, Burmese: ဝလူမျိုး [wa̰ lùmjóʊ]; Chinese: 佤族; pinyin: Wǎzú) lives mainly in Northern Burma, in the northern part of Shan and eastern Kachin States, near and along the border with China. Their defacto capital is Pangkham in the unofficial Wa State in North Eastern Shan state. The majority of the Va live in Burma. They were known as the 'Wild Wa' by British administrators.
In China, they live in compact communities in the Ximeng (in Va: Mēng Ka or Si Moung), Cangyuan, Menglian (Gaeng Līam), Gengma(Gaeng Mīex or Gaeng Māx), Lincang (Mēng Lām), Shuangjiang (Si Nblāeng or Mēng Mēng), Zhenkang, and Yongde counties in southwestern Yunnan Province of China. Their population in China is estimated at around 400,000.
Naga (Head Hunter)
The term Naga people (Burmese: Naka, Hindi: नागा) refers to a conglomeration of several tribes inhabiting the North Eastern part of India and north-westernBurma. The tribes have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority ethnic group in the Indian state of Nagaland. Some of the prominent Naga tribes are Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Lotha, Pochury, Phom, Poumai, Rengma, Sangtam, Sema (Sumi), Mao (Memai), Tangkhul, Yimchunger, Zeliang (Zeme and Liangmai).
There are 16 officially recognized tribes in the Nagaland state of India. The other Naga tribes can be found in the contiguous adjoining states of Manipur,Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and across the border in Burma. Some of these tribes are: Zeme, Liangmai, Mao (Memai), Nocte, Phom, Pochuri, Poumai Naga, Rongmei, Tangkhul, Tangsa, Tutsa, and Wancho
The Naga tribes practised headhunting and preserved the heads of enemies as trophies before the 19th century.
