The Rawang people (Burmese: ရဝမ်လူမျိုး) are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group who inhabit far northern Kachin State of Burma (Myanmar), especially in the Putao District. Myanmar is home to an estimated 65,000–70,000 Rawang, while related groups live in neighboring parts of China and India.[1]
Rvwang | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| ~100,000[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Myanmar (Kachin State) India (Arunachal Pradesh) China (Yunnan) | |
| Languages | |
| Rawang, Jinghpaw, Burmese | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (majority), Animism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Taron, Nung, Derung, Yi, Bamar |
History and Origins
editAccording to cultural research and oral traditions, the Rawang ancestors (historically known as the "Khu-Nung" or "Nung") migrated from the Tibetan Plateau and northwestern China southward into the Three Parallel Rivers region of Yunnan. During the second millennium, they moved southwest into northern Burma, settling in the remote valleys of the May Hka and Mali Hka rivers.[3] They are closely related to the Nu people and Derung people who live across the border in China.[1]
During the British colonial period, the Rawang were often associated with legends of "pygmy tribes" due to the short stature of certain sub-groups, such as the Taron. Modern anthropology identifies them as part of the Nungish speaking branch of the Tibeto-Burman family.
Genetics
editModern genetic studies have revealed that the Rawang maintain a high degree of ancestral genetic components from the early Tibeto-Burman migrations.Rawang males predominantly carry Haplogroup O2 (M122) and Haplogroup D (M174). The presence of Haplogroup D indicates a significant genetic link to ancient Paleolithic Tibetan populations, which is more pronounced in the Rawang than in many other Southeast Asian Tibeto-Burman groups.[2] Studies of mitochondrial DNA show haplogroups such as M9a and F1g, reflecting a mixture of high-altitude northern Asian and mainland Southeast Asian genetic markers.[4] Research shows that the Rawang are genetically closer to the Bamar people and Lisu people than to the Tibetans, due to shared migration routes and long-term isolation in the highlands which preserved their ancestral DNA markers.[4]
References
edit- 1 2 Wang, Ann (8 June 2016). "The Rawang and their land". Frontier Myanmar. Archived from the original on January 30, 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- 1 2 Wang, C. C. (2021). "The Genomic Formation of Human Populations in East Asia". Nature. 590 (7847): 596–602. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03336-2. PMC 7993749.
- ↑ LaPolla, R. J. (2003). "The Qiang-type Subgroup of Tibeto-Burman". Language and Linguistics.
- 1 2 Summerer, M. (2014). "The genetic distinctness of the Tibeto-Burman populations in Myanmar". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 31 (11): 2904–2911.
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