Shan (Tai Yai)
PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Originally from Myanmar/Burma, the Shan are considered one of the major ethnic minority groups in Thailand. They have been living in the northern provinces of Thailand, especially Mae Hong Son, for centuries. In the creation of Mae Hong Son town it was Shan villages that were joined together to form the first settlement on the site it now stands.
The older Buddhist Wats, situated in the towns of Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang, bear the hallmarks of Shan architectural design, as do many of the private homes, and this imbues the province with a distinctly Burmese character.
Ethnicity
Tai (Siamese branch of the Indochinese family).
The Shan, AKA Tai-Shan, are divided into 5 major groups and the one we will be focusing is referred to as the ‘Tai Yai’ (meaning ‘Shan Proper’, ‘Great Tai’).
Population
- 6-8 million (Global)
- 4.8 million (Myanmar/Burma)
- 2 million (Thailand)
- Mae Hong Son
NB: Population figures are estimates due to lack of up-to-date census information in Myanmar/Burma .
Language
Tai-Kadai / Austro-Tai Family – Tai branch, which also includes Thai and Laotian languages.
The Shan have their own written language, which is somewhat rare amongst highland ethnic minority groups.
Appearance (dress / distinguishing features)
The people living in the towns of the north are said to be closely related to the Shan and those who have been here for a long time may be indistinguishable from their ethnic Thai counterparts.
The last few decades has seen an increasing number of Shan arriving in the northern Thai provinces from Myanmar/Burma escaping conditions in that country. The recent Shan arrivals often wear the ‘thanaka’ cream on their cheeks, nose and forehead.
Livelihood
Farming – swidden agriculture (subsistence and cash crops, typically rice, garlic, soy, peanuts, fruits)
Shan State in Myanmar/Burma is known for it’s timber (especially teak), silver & lead.
Religion
Devout Theravada Buddhist
Animist
History
The Shan people are native to Myanmar/Burma, predominantly Shan State, as well as Kachin State, Kayin State, with well established communities in adjacent provinces of Thailand (esp. Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai), in Laos, and in China. They are the largest ethnic minority in Myanmar/Burma making up 10% of the population.
The Shan were once an extremely powerful race and controlled large areas of Myanmar/Burma, Central and Northern Siam/Thailand, Laos and Southern China (Yunnan).
The Shan built the ancient Thai Kingdoms of Ayuthaya (central Thailand) and Lanna (northern Thailand) and are therefore at the centre of Thailand’s formative historical periods over the past 1000 years.
Shan festivals
Poy Sang Long
Shan Attractions in Mae Hong Son Province
Traditional Shan villages worth visiting in Mae Hong Son are: