History of the Nusu: an oppression history

Progeny of one says all the Nusu to themselves ancestor feminine called Maochongying, who according to his legends is born of the matching of a bee and a snake in some cases, or of a bee and a tiger in other versions. Own ancestor Maochongying will mate later with different animals, as the tiger, the snake, the bee, the roebuck and the deer. Giving thus origin to the clans of the same name and with them to the whole humanity. This proper process seems to indicate the existence between the primary Nusu of totem pole and secondary others, as it has been studied by enough detail between the Yi by Yang Heshen (1)

The presence of this one ancestor, and the cult totémico primitive they seem to indicate that in the beginning the society Nusu was matriarchal.

The Nusu seem to have had a narrow relation in a remote past with Yi de Liangshan. In fact the form in which there are autonamed these two ethnic groups is practically similar. Since Yi de Liangshan is autonamed Nosu. Also both peoples venerate the black color. A color that certainly is venerated by many other peoples that must have stopped narrow relation in the past. Also, in the Chinese documents of the dynasty Yuan it was called of form much looked like so much to the Nusu as to mentioned Yi, since all of them were receiving Lulu's name.

The proper Nusu say that they come from Lijiang, from which they emigrated towards Lanping, and from there later up to his current situation. According to his genealogy, you need enough, they came to the river Nujiang approximately 1000 years ago, fact that fits enough to what the historical records indicate.

The life of the Nusu in virtual isolation to the shore of the river Nujiang transforms from the XVIIIth century when they are affected not only by the new imperial politics destined to increase the central control on the minorities of China, but by the movements of peoples that they provoke. Of this form these Nusu that according to the reports sent by the local authorities to the imperial government were living of traditional form at the beginning of the above mentioned century, they will see his form of life modified forever.

Three principal elements that modify his existence, closely related between themselves, are:

1. Establishment or increase of the tax, which if at the beginning of century it was consisting (2) of a skin of animal, a bundle of herbs and 2,5 kilos of wax of bee, this one does not stop increasing as bureaucracy created concerning Nujiang does it.

2. Arrival of the Lisu. Although they come to Nujiang themselves fleeing of the imperial oppression, and enclosed in some occasions after having being defeated, his top prompt technological development places them in a profitable situation with regard to the Nusu, which soon turn into his victims, suffering the loss of ground to hands of the chiefs Lisu and in some cases up to turning into his slaves. These chiefs Lisu stabilize his power turning into a link of the chain of state oppression, placed between Tusi de Lijiang and Dali and the proper Nusu. They gather taxes on behalf of the Tusi, which already include also baskets, wine and other local products, remaining with a part.

3. The arrival of the Leimo (a branch of the Bai), it had a similar effect. The Leimo turned during a time into the masters of the Nusu, what produced a series of conflicts with the Nusu. In fact according to his legends the invaders Leimo were defeated by an alliance between the clan of the tiger and the fact that the bee. Nevertheless soon they had to leave this role to the Lisu, more numerous.

From 1912, with the establishment of the Republic China the first governmental offices are opened in the area, constructing him barracks, school and stores, there being established for the whole Prefecture of Nujiang a system similar to that of the tusis.

From beginning of the 50s the communist reforms were implemented between the Nusu, and although one finished with the oppression of the landowners Lisu, his lives happened to be regulated by a series of communist intermediate pictures that were applying locally with big freedom the national politics. Many aspects of his culture and traditional religion were prohibited.

From beginning of the 80s, the air of freedom that is breathed in China has come up to this corner of the country where they live through the Nusu, which have experienced a notable revitalization of his culture.

His future appears, nevertheless, I fill of new challenges.

(1) Yang Heshen. - Tuteng cengci lun (Discussion on the scale of the totem pole). Publishing house of the People of Yunnan. Kunming. 1991
(2) "Nuzu jian shi" bianxiezu. - Nuzu jian shi (Brief history of the Nuzu) Publishing house of the people of Yunnan. Kunming. 1987

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