Nathaniel,

I've spent plenty of time with Kachin people in Thailand (the exile community in Chiang Mai) among the Kachins in the Northern Shan State, and the Kachin here in Oklahoma. Yeah, Oklahoma. There is a Kachin woman (Maru) from Kutkai whose aunt and uncle worked for me on a crop substitution project who now lives about 3 miles from my parents' house in Tulsa, OK. My thesis is on the Kachins. All this to say that Jinghpaw does not necessarily equal Kachin. In fact, the majority of the ten Kachin families in Tulsa are not Jinghpaw. Around Kutkai there were plenty of Maru, Lashi, and Atsi. And then there are those Lisu, who sometimes are and sometimes aren't Kachin.

Thanks Ainotay for the background. Still all confusing to me...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachin_people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingpo_...Categorization
I read different books that mention the different classification systems and can't keep things straight. I think I need to make a flow chart so I can keep the different tribal groups straight and the different names for the same group...ie Thai name for a certain group and the Burmese name, Chinese, Lao, etc for the same group.

Well.........um..........actually rattan comes from a jungle vine plant that is stripped into long strands.

Nathaniel,

If it were easy, anthropologist (I'm not one) wouldn't have a job.


Jinghpaw literally just means "human" or "people" so a Jinghpaw might refer to say a Maru as Jinghpaw simply as an expression of kinship to a group that shares a similar culture and a clan system that cuts across tribal boundaries. Kachin is a term the British came up with to generalize all the tribes they met in northern Burma that seemed to share a common culture and were allied with each other. I use allied in a very loose sense since they willing to fight each other and among themselves. Also keep in mind that even within tribes, especially among the Jinghpaw and Rawang, there are very distinct sub-groups like Gauri among the Jinghpaw. Even the Kachins have trouble keeping it straight sometimes.

It is true the Jinghpaw are the most numerous and their dialect is the common one.

Not likely on this particular weapon. Textile weaving is a well-established art form in the region and among the ethnic groups found there.

Do these help ?


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I'm not very good with textiles, 'Nando. :shrug: Looks like it could be rough weave cotton or coconut fiber. :o

All good info. Thanks Aiontay
:)

What do you guys think (know) was the scabbard of this sword ... silver, silver trimmed, plain wood/bamboo or the open face version ?

Thank you for the photo.
And the hilt is well aged bamboo. ;)