The last Burmese tribes live in the so-called Myanmar’s Golden Triangle, far from the world around them and with deep-rooted traditions.
The capital of the state of Shan, Kientung, is the starting point for those wishing to venture across rugged terrain to meet the communities living in this area. Reaching them is not easy. It takes patience and a little effort, but the reward is priceless: their colourful clothing, ornaments, customs and way of life make you forget your tiredness.
Akka
The Akha are of Mongolian origin and live in bamboo and wooden stilt houses with thatched roofs. Their distinctive clothing includes headdresses made from old silver coins and cords on black fabric. Dress also conveys a code, revealing marital status, age and social standing.
Enn
Known as the black-teeth ethnic group, they are an animist people living in the mountains near Kengtung, where they build sacrificial altars. Both men and women stretch their earlobes with large wooden plugs. They usually dress in black, with small ornaments on their clothes.
Kaw
These people choose where to live in a curious way: they drop an egg, and if it breaks, they consider the spot suitable. Otherwise, they take their belongings elsewhere. Men usually shave their heads except for a lock at the crown, where priests traditionally wore a tonsure.
These are some of the communities you may encounter, but there are more than 130 tribes or ethnic groups. Each preserves a distinctive heritage and ways of life that may seem unimaginable to us, sometimes giving the impression that time has stood still.
That alone makes the journey to this remote place worthwhile. If you come with us, however, we must tread lightly and make as little noise as possible. This is their world.
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