Lisu

Chinese ethnic groups

Achang - Bai - Blang - Bonan - Buyi - Dai - Daur - De'ang - Dong - Dongxiang - Drung - Evenki - Gaoshan - Gelao - Gin - Han - Hani - Hezhen - Hui - Jingpo - Jino - Kazakh - Kirghiz - Korean - Lahu - Lhoba - Li - Lisu - Manchu - Maonan - Menba - Miao - Mongol - Mulam - Naxi - Nu - Oroqin - Pumi - Qiang - Russian - Salar - She - Shui - Tajik - Tatar - Tibetan - Tu - Tujia - Uighur - Uzbek - Wa - Xibe - Yao - Yi - Yugur - Zhuang

The Lisu people are an ethnic group who inhabit Burma(Myanmar), China, Thailand, and India. They are believed to originate from Eastern Tibet.

Also known as: Lisaw

Language family: Tibeto-Burman

Language branch: Lolo

The Lisu form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, and are commonly referred to as hilltribe people. They traditionally live in villages high in the mountains and despite the attempts of western missionaries to convert them to christianity many still practice animist and ancestor worship as they have done for hundreds of years.

Lisu villages are usually built close to water, and preferably close to a waterfall as they believe that water is a special power. Their homes are usually built on the ground and have dirt floors and bamboo walls, although an increasing number of the more affluent Lisu are now building houses from wood or even concrete.

For hundreds of years the Lisu lived from agriculture, growing mountain rice, fruit and vegetables. They also grew poppies for opium production although this practice has all but disappeared in most areas due to international pressure. Despite this pressure a small proportion of Lisu are still addicted to opium, or its more common derivative, heroin.

Lisu women wear brightly coloured costumes, usually consisting of a red, blue or green multi-coloured knee length tunic with a wide black belt and blue, black or green pants. Sleeves shoulders and cuffs are embroidered with narrow horizontal bands of blue, red and yellow. Lisu men wear baggy pants (or Culottes), usually in bright colours but normally wear a more western type of shirt or top.

The Lisu have their own language which has developed over the decades to include words from their adopted countries languages. This sometimes makes it difficult for Lisu from neighbouring countries to talk to each other. The Lisu language has no written format, so Lisu history is passed from one generation to the next in the form of song. Today this song can take more than 7 days and nights to sing. In more recent years missionaries have taught a written form of Lisu developed by the Scottish missionary James Fraser and many Lisu, particularly in Burma have been converted to christianity and learnt this.