Presenting the Wa

The population of the Wa is 298.000 in China according to the census of 1990. And it is calculated that some others in Burma, many of them in the State Shan, split into a fifty groups.

In China one divides them in three principal branches:
1. "Awa," or "wild Wa" who live in the Mountains Ximing over 1.500 meters high. In the districts of Ximeng and Menglian.

2. "Lawa," or "Wa Mansos" who live in the surroundings of the Mountains Ximing.

3. "Wa Sinizados" or Bushaoke who live in the vales and have been much affected by the Chinese culture

Most of the wa live in the mountainous areas of the districts of Ximeng, Congyuan, Menglian, Langcang, of the province of Yunnan, in the frontier area with Burma, as well as in the proper Burma.

His language pertence to the family south wind - Asiatic. Earlier they had an alphabetical writing in some areas. Also they were registering the past with marks in bamboo.

It is considered that three branches of the Wa speak different dialects, but sound de facto different languages, with different grammar and vocabulary.

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