In an age of globalisation – and homogenisation – how can an indigenous culture like that of the ethnic Lisu survive and thrive?
Chinese Lisu singers entertained at a festival accompanying the conference.
That was one of the questionsaddressed by a three-day conference in Chiang Mai’s Mae Taeng district that wrapped on Sunday.
Conference-goers said a key challenge was maintaining interest amongst young people in traditional Lisu culture.
Language loss - particularly the lack of Lisu literacy in their own writing system - are particular problems, said Michele Zack, author of the new book The Lisu: Far from the Ruler. “But the strength of the will to cultural survival among Lisu is just so passionate -- it is very moving to witness”.
There are more than a million ethnic Lisu in SouthEast Asia, China and India, with approximately 50,000 living in 150 villages in northern Thailand.
(Video YouTube/Lisu Thailand)
(Video YouTube/You Watch)