ETHNIC DIVERSITY – YI ETHNIC MINORITY IN CHINA

VISITING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. GREAT TRAVELOGUES. LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY AND DEVELOPMENT.

“Sa Kar, Sa Kar, pyorr hpan mhyar, Sa Kar htare ka, Zar ti pya.” A well known Burmese saying says, “One’s speech can reveal one’s origins.”  Origins can mean a birthplace or character.

Well, per Wikipedia, Bamar’s language is CLOSELY RELATED to the Yi minority in China, sharing the same linguistic roots.

Yi people – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_people

The Yi speak Yi, a Tibeto-Burman language closely related to Burmese, which is written in the Yi script.

The close language affinity strongly indicates that the Bamar’s either originated from or came through Yunnan in China and have blood ties to the Yi’s. Isn’t it true that one should not forget one’s “myo yoe” or roots?

The British colonists had their “Divide and Rule.” They had a reason not to publicize this link. They even said once, “Let Asians fight Asians.” I am not an expert. Just pointing out this language link. It’s a job for the experts, the linguists, historians, archaelogists, etc.

Anyway, enjoy the following great travelogue. Click link below:

YouTube – Travelogue Ethnic Odyssey – Rock Forest of Kunming – 1/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9KCaVoCAjA

Sing, dance, and drink with the Yi of Yunnan: the most passionate of people. Take a glimpse into spirits burning with an inner fire.

Variety of its landscape and diversity of its people, welcome to Travelogue’s ethnic minority series. And today, we’re they’re going to meet the Yi people of Yunnan province. Look at them, they’re singing, dancing, there’s music. What are we waiting for? Come join us.

Today’s journey will take us through Shilin and Chuxiong in Yunnan to visit the Yi people. The Yi is the largest ethnic minority in southwest China, with the most branches.

We’re starting in Shilin, literally “Stone Forest.” The Shilin Yi Ethnic Autonomous County is about 80 kilometers from Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province.

Here, you can find one of the great natural wonders of the world – the karst limestone area. Walking through the forest, you are surrounded by 270-million-year-old peaks and caves, each of them unique. These strange formations fire my imagination, so it’s not hard to believe that they’ve inspired numerous poems, pictures, and Yi legends.

The Stone Forest is also famous as the home of a branch of the Yi minority, known as the Sani. Theirs is a unique and fascinating history, many episodes of which relate to their unique environment. Scattered among the mountains and valleys, the Yi’s lifestyles are all varied.

If you look carefully, the stone looks like a girl standing with her arm over her shoulder. Can you see it?

The Sani folk epic, Ashima, is passed on orally, and often through music.

Read…Although many legends are passed down orally, the Yi people also have their own written language. In fact, the Yi ethnic minority created the earliest syllabic script in China – that was in the 13th century. To me, the characters look similar to the writing on the oracle bones found at Anyang.

Outside the Yi village is the Mi4zhi1.This is a holy area used for praying and other religious activities. The Yi are polytheistic – they embrace elements of many religions, and they also worship their ancestors and Nature. They believe in the holiness of all spirits. Fire is especially revered, since it represents their passion, straightforwardness, and bravery.

Even in this open field, the traditional Yi hospitality is evident. No sooner have we arrived than they brought song and they brought dance.

Dancing is an important part of life for the Sani. Up in the high mountains, dancing is the main form of entertainment. The music’s strong beat and the cheerful dancers would bring a smile to anyone’s face. Imagine being greeted with such bright costumes and such spirited singing and dancing.

This is an interesting tool? It’s a most traditional form of tool. It’s used to get the water from the lake to the land. The paddles push the water up.

Yi women are industrious workers both in the field and in the home. It’s part of the traditional lifestyle that they do heavy manual labor, embroider and make clothes for the family, and still find time to look after the children. Imagine trying to balance such a busy workload!

After a hard day at work, they join together around the fire and sing and dance. Their dance has different paces, to express different moods. Although the movements are simple, the rhythm is lively. The way I see it, it looks like out-and-out fun. Even the kids join in, although they do it a little differently…..