Presenting the Hani

There is named Hani a group of peoples that there shares a good number of linguistic and cultural resemblances distributed in the south of the province of Yunnan and in the nearby countries: Burma, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Of them it is possible to be considered that there are at least two important groups, called Aini or Akha, who live in the Xishuangbanna prefecture, as well as in Burma, Thailand and Laos. And called Hani properly who live in the basin of the river Honghe (Prefecture of Honghe in China and North of Vietnam)

The entire population of the groups hani can be nearly two million persons, distributed of the following form:

• China 1.500.000
• Burma 150.000
• Laos 100.000
• Thailand 75.000
• Vietnam 25.000

Between that they inhabit in China the majority (76 %) they live in the Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe, in the counties of Yuanjing, Mojing, Jiangcheng and Puer. The rest they live in Xishuangbanna.

Called Hani lives in the mountainous Yunnan areas, like the Mounts Ailao and Wuliang, with warm climate and abundant rains. Called Aini or Akha inhabit both the mountainous areas and the low Xishuangbanna grounds.

In China they have the following autonomous entities:

• Prefecture Honghe de los Hani and the Yi.
  District Puer de los Hani and the Yi.
  District Jiangcheng de los Hani and the Yi.
  District Mojiang de los Hani.

Officially they are divided in numerous branches, which it would be the official equivalent to what there would be called ethnic groups in other countries, sometimes with very few characteristics together. As the following ones:

• The Aini, which live in the basin of the river Lancang and in Xishuangbanna.
  The Hani, in the bank of the river Honghe.
  The Biyue are approximately 100.000, which live in the counties of Simao and Yuanjiang.
  The Haomi, there are approximately 100.000 and they live in Mojiang.
  The Kaduos, approximately 100.000 in Simao and Mojiang.
  

Other less studied branches are: Alou, Amu, Baihong, Bukong, Duoni, Emi, Jizou, Jiwei, Juhou, Kabie, I Licked, Lobi, Menghua, Mika, Nisu, Pudu, Sansha, Sangkong, Yeche.

Considering the particular form that the Hani/Akha have of there is named himself himself, who includes, as Gesau demonstrates, at least three different forms, namely, according to his location, according to the hairstyle of his wives, and according to the clan to which they belong, it is possible that not all these denominations refer to different ethnic groups, but only one deeper study will be able to throw light on the matter.

Language: His language belongs to the family but Tibetan, tibeto birmana branch, subbranch yi, relies on with several dialects, of which the principal ones are:

The dialect The Hague, which it is spoken by those who are named to themselves the same Hani and Yani. This dialect splits in turn into two secondary dialects: Hani and Yani, which in turn splits each of them into several local speech. Approximately 630.000 persons speak it.
Those who speak the Hani are distributed by the Prefecture of Honghe, districts of Honghe, Yuanyang, Luchun and Jinping.
Those who speak the Yani for Xishuangbanna and Lancang

The dialect Hao-bai, which it is spoken by those who are named to themselves the same Haoni and Baihong. It splits into two secondary dialects: Haoni and Baihong. That are distributed by Mojiang, Yuanjiang and Puer. Approximately 150.000 persons speak it.

The dialect Pi-ka, which it is spoken by those who are named to themselves the same Piyue and Kaduo. It splits in piyue, kaduo and enu, three local speech. It is distributed by Mojiang, Jiangcheng, Zhenyuan and Jingdong. 270.000 persons speak it.

Also there are other less important dialects, but also with clear differences with the previous ones.

Since the Hani that use different dialects, cannot communicate between them, although in general yes they can between those of the same dialect, and that his linguistic divisions coincide with the form with that they are autonamed, he makes to think that we are before several differentiated ethnic groups although with important resemblances.

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