Phunoi people
Encyclopedia
The Phunoi are a tribal people of Laos
, Northern Thailand
, and Vietnam
. They speak Phunoi
, a Tibeto-Burman language that is classified as one of the Loloish languages
. The community is divided into several clans, each with its own taboo
s and customs for ancestor worship. Their primary occupation is slash-and-burn agriculture, though they also produce a variety of handicrafts, most notably rattan
baskets and mats.
There are approximately 35,600 Phunoi in Laos and 1,300 in Vietnam (the 1960 census indicated that there were approximately 6,500 at that time). In Laos, many Phunoi live in Phongsali Province (around the town of Phongsali
, Louang Namtha Province, and Houaphanh Province. Some also live in Luang Phrabang Province and Vientiane Province, the remnant of those serving in the Royal Lao Armed Forces.
They are related to the Mpi people
and the Bisu people.
"Phunoi" means "little man" in various Tai languages and is not this ethnic group's original name, which is probably "Khong."
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Northern Thailand
Northern Thailand
Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. They speak Phunoi
Phunoi language
Phunoi is a Loloish language of Laos, with a couple thousand in Vietnam and an unknown number in Thailand. Dialects are divergent and may be distinct languages; these are Black Khoany, White Khoany, Mung, Hwethom, Khaskhong, Côông....
, a Tibeto-Burman language that is classified as one of the Loloish languages
Loloish languages
The Loloish languages, also known as Ngwi or in China as Yi, are a family of fifty to a hundred languages of the Tibeto-Burman language family. They are most closely related to Burmese and its relatives. Both the Loloish and Burmish branches are well defined, as is their superior node, Lolo–Burmese...
. The community is divided into several clans, each with its own taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s and customs for ancestor worship. Their primary occupation is slash-and-burn agriculture, though they also produce a variety of handicrafts, most notably rattan
Rattan
Rattan is the name for the roughly 600 species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia.- Structure :...
baskets and mats.
There are approximately 35,600 Phunoi in Laos and 1,300 in Vietnam (the 1960 census indicated that there were approximately 6,500 at that time). In Laos, many Phunoi live in Phongsali Province (around the town of Phongsali
Phongsali
Phongsali or Phongsaly is the capital of Phongsali Province, Laos. It is the northernmost among provincial capitals in Laos opposite Attapeu in the south. The town has about 6,000 inhabitants and is located at approximately 1430 meters on the slopes of Mount Phu Fa . Phongsali has pleasant summer...
, Louang Namtha Province, and Houaphanh Province. Some also live in Luang Phrabang Province and Vientiane Province, the remnant of those serving in the Royal Lao Armed Forces.
They are related to the Mpi people
Mpi people
The Mpi are an ethnic group of Thailand.-Geographic Distribution:There are about 1,500 Mpi in the Nan and Phrae Provinces of Thailand. -Origin:...
and the Bisu people.
"Phunoi" means "little man" in various Tai languages and is not this ethnic group's original name, which is probably "Khong."