The Tribes of Burma/Lahus
The Lahus
The test of vocabularies points to a very close connection between the Lisaws and the Lahus or Muhsos of the Eastern Shan States, and though the two tribes vary physically—the Lahus being a poorer, smaller type than the Lisaws—there can be no doubt, quite apart from the fact that they have characteristics, like the wearing of the pigtail and the habitual use of the cross-bow, in common, that they have a common origin. What outward differences there now are probably due to the degeneracy of the Lahus caused by their sojourn in the south. The northern limit of the Lahu country is marked approximately by the 24th parallel of latitude, which may also be taken as roughly indicating the sourthern limit of the Lisaws. The Lahus, however, appear to have come down from the north along the Mekong and not along the Sal ween, like the Lisaws, and their country lies well to the east as well as to the south of the Lisaw country. They are connected, no doubt, with the Mossos of the Upper Mekong, just as they are connected with the Lisaws, who are closely related to the Mossos, .but their separation from the common stock dates from a very remote period, and the similarity between "Mubso" and " Mosso" is possibly accidental. The Lahus extend southwards down to about 2o°N. latitude. The southernmost members of the tribe are found in the extreme north of Siam as well as in Tongking, where they have been studied by the French, The Kwis of the Shan States are one of the southernmost branches of the Lahus. Further north Prince Henri of Orleans found that the Lahus called were Lochai [Lahnhsi (?) ]. At the 1901 Census 15,774 persons were returned as Lahus or Muhsos and 2,882 as Kwis. All but three of these were enumerated in the Southern Shan States. The Lahus are best known for the resistance they have offered to the Chinese along the border and, latterly, for the readiness that they have exhibited to adopt Christianity. Some of the missionaries working among them would class them ethnically with the Karens, but for this there seems no justification. Their women's dress, the prinicipal item of which is a long-embroidered coat, is picturesque. For further details see the tabulated list at page 83.