Originally from southern Tibet and arriving here via Burma as recently
as 1984, they call themselves Da-ang, and there are fewer than 2,000 of
them in only 7 Thai villages.
THE PALONG have their own language and culture which, like that of the
Lahu, follows the ancient traditions of their ancestors. Many still live
in the Shan state of Burma, some in Yunnan and their language is Mon-Khmer
based with Shan and Lisu influence. Their arrival in the Doi Angkhang area
of Fang district, Chiangmai province, was followed 2 years later by official
categorisation as a minority people and they were given the right to stay.
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These people make their living agriculturally, growing tea, vegetables
and fruit for which some villages receive the support of the nearby Royal
Project. Because of their "recent" arrival THE PALONG missed
the last big population survey and are therefore omitted from most academic
texts and, more surprisingly, most modern guide books.
Predominantly Buddhist but like most other mountain people adhering
to animism, THE PALONG place great faith in their medicine men who are
fortune tellers as well as healers. Unusually, a marriage results in a
new home being built on to the end of the husband's family home, creating
"Long House" family rows similar to those found in some Borneo
tribes.
Women wear colourful tops and skirts, the men have their hair in a bun
and wear black jackets with red banded sleeves. Carved, decorated rattan
belts are worn day and night for good luck. Most unusually, THE PALONG
- who seldom marry outside their group - "crown" financial success
by crowning their teeth with gold, sometimes decorated with precious stones!
Next month: The Shan (or 'Tai Yai')
JUST LIKE THE REAL THING?
Almost! This metal bas relief of a Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero-Sen actually
represents an aircraft of the 64th Sentai, wich was stationed here at Chiangmai.
Framed in dark Thai timber, each piece is numbered and only 1000 pieces
will ever be produced. Made by Thai craftsmen with care.
If you see 3 Nissan pick-ups arrive here from Bangkok
in a blaze of publicity, you'll know they are on the first leg of a 200,000km,
6 month journey to test the efficiency of diesel-with-palm-oil fuel (...).
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