Presenting the Talu

The Talu live to the north of the Yunnan province, in the Yongsheng district. Most of the population concentrates in the mountainous region placed to the Southwest of the city of Yongsheng, capital of the district, in the western shore of the river Talu. A mountainous region and badly connected that has kept them almost isolated of the big human movements produced in Yunnan. His territory spreads on the south up to the river Chahe, to the north up to the river Deguhe and Chuhe. There are other communities Talu that live dispersed for the villages of Huapeng, Sina and Renhe.

The Talu autoname the nearby villages Talu, and: They have. Lisu and Yi de Liangshan, call them also Talu and recognize them as a different ethnic entity. In spite of it the Chinese government has not recognized them until now as an independent ethnic entity, preferring to think them a branch of the Yi.

His population, in 1990, was courting 4.000 persons, of whom 3500 were living in the area of already described concentration of the Talu and the dispersed others for his other areas. In this area of concentration of the Talu there are numerous villages, like Washua, Piliu, Daodaobu, Xinlaopo, Wawo, Acongzhu, etc, in which the Talu practise a personal consumption agriculture.

The language of the Talu is considered to be a branch of the Yi. But they think themselves that his language is very similar to that of the Nacha, it has resemblances with that of the Liude and Liangwo; it can understand with that of Yi de Shuitian and it is very different from that of Yi de Liangshan. They do not know the writing Yi, but yes the Chinese characters. Nevertheless, in 1954, when in China the ethnic differentiation decided they were considered to be a branch of the Yi.

In addition to the Han, the Yi and the Lisu, they live between the Talu through another three ethnic groups, of which scarcely news has been published, but one believes that his language and culture has many resemblances with that of the Talu. There are the called ones:

- Nacha ren, in the village Nacha. To the shore of the river Talu. Approximately 800 persons who understand each other with the Talu, marry them, have houses for the girls and celebrate a similar holiday on June 24 of spot, in that they dance dances similar to those of the Talu.
- Liude ren
- Liangwo ren. Famous persons for his talent as builders of houses.

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