Shan

The Shan comprise of 33 ethnic groups.

The Shan live primarily in the Shan State of Myanmar, but also inhabit parts of Mandalay Division, Kachin State, and Kayin State, and in adjacent regions of China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Shan identify themselves as "Tai", which means "free men" because "Shan" is a Burmese language term

People

The population of these multi-racial people, described by ancient travelers as the most peace loving people who trust everybody and envy nobody is estimated at 7-10 million, the majority of whom are Tai, of the same ethnological stock as Thai and Laos, plus several other racial groups including Pa-o, Palaung and Wa of Mon-Khmer stock; and Kachin, Akha and Lahu of the Tibeto-Burman stock. All in all, its various indigenous races have lived harmoniously together for centuries.

History

The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 1200s. They are believed to have migrated from the mountains of Yunnan in China. The Shan are descendants of the oldest branch of the Tai ethnicity, known as Tai Long (Great Tai). Shan who migrated to the south and now inhabit modern-day Laos and Thailand are known as Tai Noi (or Tai Nyai), while those in parts of northern Thailand and Laos are commonly known as Tai Noi (Little Tai - Lao spoken)

The Shan kingdom of Mong Mao existed as early as the 900s, but in the 1000s, the Burmese king Anawrahta of the Pagan kingdom forced it to become a vassal state. However, in 1284, the Mongols, under Kublai Khan pillaged Pagan, and the Shan gained power throughout modern-day Myanmar, expanding as far south as Mawlamyaing, as far west as Rakhine State, and as far east as Assam This rapid expansion however proved deleterious; territories in Laos and Thailand broke off to form the kingdom of Siam, and constant warfare further weakened the kingdom which ended in 1604 following the death of San Hum Hpa

The Shan States disintegrated into smaller semi-autonomous kingdoms in the Shan Plateau, which were conquered during the reign of another Burmese king Alaungpaya of the Konbaung Dynasty. After the British conquered and annexed Burma during the reign of King Thibaw, the Shan kingdoms were transferred to British control. Under the colonial administration, the Shan principalities were administered separately as British protectorates with limited monarchical powers invested in the Shan Saophas.

Culture

The Shan are traditionally wet-rice cultivators, shopkeepers, and artisans. Most Shan are Theravada Buddhists and/or observe their traditional religion, which is related to animist practices. Shan is still the first language of the majority, though due to 60 years under the British Protectorate and 40 years under Burmese neo-colonialism, usage of English and Burmese has become fairly common.

As for attire, Shan men, unlike the Burmese, who wear longyis or long skirts, don long baggy trousers. Theravada Buddhism is the pre-eminent faith, and perhaps due to this tolerant religion, Hinduism, Christianity, Islamism and even animisms flourish in this land.

Agriculture

Primarily a self-sufficient agricultural economy, being blessed with fertile soil, it produces rice, tea, cheroot leaves, tobacco, potatoes, oranges, lemon, pears, and opium. Cattle-and horse-breeding is also a common sight in low grasslands. Added to the fact that it is rich in mineral resources and abundant in teak timber, there is no reason why the Shan State could not become one of the richest and most economically dynamic countries in Southeast Asia, given a favourable political climate.

Politics

The Shan have been engaged in an intermittent civil war within Myanmar for decades. As Shan State is one of the largest in Burma, there are two main armed rebel forces operating within it - the Shan State Army/Special Region 3 and Shan State Army/Restoration Council of Shan State. In 2005 the SSNA was effectively abolished after its surrender to the Burmese government, some units joined the SSA/RCSS, which has yet to sign any agreements, and is still engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Burma Army.

Independence and Exiled Government

His Royal Highness Prince Hso Khan Pha of Yawnghwe, lives in exile in Canada. He is campaigning for the government of Burma to respect the traditional culture and indigenous lands of the Shan people, and he works with Shan exiles abroad helping to provide schooling for displaced Shan children whose parents are unable to do so. He hopes to provide Shan children with some training in life skills so they can fend for themselves and their families in the future.

In addition, opinion has been voiced in Shan State and in neighbouring Thailand, and to some extent in farther-reaching exile communities, in favour of the goal of "total independence for Shan State." This came to a head when, in May 2005, Shan elders in exile declared independence for the Federated Shan States.

The declaration of independence, however, was rejected by most other ethnic minority groups, many Shan living inside Burma, and Burma's leading opposition party, the National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Aung San Suu Kyi