New Year Ceremonies of LISU-2

Later that night people congregate at the village priest's house. While elders drink and sing, young people first dance around his New Year tree then go in procession from house to house throughout 'sweeping out' the bad and impure elements from the entire village.At cockcrow the next morning, women from the village priest's house go to the water source and make offerings of joss sticks, rice cakes, and pork, then bring 'New Year water' back to the...[Readmore]

New Year Ceremonies of LISU-1

The most important festival is that of the New Year, when they celebrate the turning from the old to the new. Many hours and considerable sums of money are devoted to the...[Readmore]

Religious Practitioners of LISU-3

Shaman: In the event of a serious illness, the shaman may be asked to perform the 'spraying' of the sickness. A pan of lard is placed on the fire, and while it is heating...[Readmore]

Religious Practitioners of LISU-2

Shaman :Whereas the priest serves as the representative between the villagers and the guardian, a shaman serves as the link between the human and spirit world. The shaman...[Readmore]

Religious Practitioners of LISU-1

As the Lisu religion combines ancestor worship and spirit propitiation, two types of practitioners are necessary in carrying out religious functions: the 'village priest'...[Readmore]

Clan and Family of LISU-2

Serious animosity some times develops in a family, the most serious being between a son and his father. The Lisu ideal is for the son to show his father utmost respect and...[Readmore]

Clan and Family of LISU-1

Kinship is based on a system of patrillineal clans. Six of them are traditionally Lisu, and have Lisu names; Hone(Bya), Wood(suh), Fish(Ngwa), Bear(Wu), Buckwheat(Gwa), and...[Readmore]

Headman of LISU

Headman: The Lisu political headman(xwa thu pha) should be a person who has a 'good heart and good mind'. When the elders choose him, they kill a pig or chicken and have...[Readmore]

House construction of Lisu

The ridge-pole of a house follows the contour of the hillside. The only door is always made in the middle of the lower side. Opposite the 'ancestral altar'(ta bya). This...[Readmore]

Guardian spirit shrine Of Lisu

Every Lisu village must have a 'village guardian spirit shrine '(Apa mu hi) above the village. The guardian spirit inhabiting this shrine protects the village by keeping...[Readmore]

Socio-Economy Pattern-2

Hill tribe villages are likely to break up at any time for many reasons, such as: shortage of good cropland nearby, dissatisfaction with village leaders, intravillage disputes,...[Readmore]