In our history, Lahu ethnicity has been existed for at least 4,500 years. Before migrating down to southern China, our original homeland was in Tibet and the west-southern part of China. It can be divided into two groups: the one that migrated to Chiang Tung, Myanmar, in 1840 and the other to northern Thailand firstly at Fang, Chiang Mai around 1880.

 

Nowadays, Thailand has about 1.5 hundred thousand Lahus living in more than 800 villages along the Thai Myanmar border. And, I am a Lahu from Huay Lu Luang village, Muang, Chiang Rai, Thailand. First, I would like to begin with Lahu’s way of life. Since ancient days, Lahus value agriculture and ancestor spirits with "Tobo" as our religious leader. We strictly comply with rules and respect seniors’ teachings. Passing on cultures and rituals is important to us no matter it is a way of working or celebrating. However, every ethnicity has its own identity. Lahu has a particular festival that can vividly describe our identity called “Kin Wo Festival”.

Kin Wo Festival or what we call in Lahu language “Koh Ja Wae” is Lahu’s new year celebration. In my village, Huay Lu Luang, where I was born and raised, everyone is Christian, so we will hold the festival based on the universal calendar. Normally, the festival will be held in January on the dates decided by the village committee and village members.

 

Our village celebrates Kin Wo Festival for at least 10 days, excluding Sunday. On each day, we will arrange the rituals and games specifically. For example, on the first day, we will go to the church to express our gratitude to God. On the second day, we will prepare warm water and "Kao Pu", black sticky rice mixed with white or black sesame, to pay respect to the seniors and elders in the village. On the third day, all women and men will put on our ethnic clothes to "Ja Ku" dance in the village’s yard. And, on the other days, we will play games and sports such as top, Saba, and football. One thing that is different from the old days is that we have cut some spirit-related rituals out as we are now Christians.

As a pure Lahu growing up in Huay Lu Luang village, I have absorbed Lahu cultures and sacred traditions since childhood. When I was young, I remember how excited and exhilarated I was knowing that Kin Wo Festival was coming close. To us, it meant going to the city and buying new clothes. Since the festival is annual, so it was our once-in-a-year event to finally get to explore the city.  Moreover, we have so many memories during the festival. Not to mention the dance with friends, the dance at other villages, playing tops, and football matches, those are where friendships and romances begin. More importantly, this special festival has made me grow to love and be proud of my ethnicity more and more. Lahu is always full of unconditional love and harmony. Kin Wo Festival stores countless beautiful memories that I know in my heart that I would not be able to forget.

Although Lahus have to adapt themselves to fit into changes in the modern time, like adjusting our original rituals due to religious reasons and so on. However, to me, Lahu identity, pride, and faith that I have always had toward my ethnicity remain the same. Even, sometimes, we also have to confront social issues or unfair prejudices, for example, how the news portrays Lahu or Musor (an impolite term of Lahu meaning “insulting”) associating with drug businesses. Though the problem does exist, it only refers to a certain group of people, not all of us. Thus, I am writing to share the authenticity of Lahu hoping this may broaden outside persons’ perspectives. Like city people or other ethnicities, Lahu has cherished history, traditions, and cultures.

Nowadays, almost 95% of Lahu in Thailand have Thai nationality. We have access to education and respectable jobs. We, therefore, have rights and freedom as equally as any other human beings.