Geography and Language of Deang (德昂族)
Only a few thousand people make up the De’ang ethnic group, spread widely over Yunnan province. Most live in the Santai Township in Luxi County. De’ang people live side by side with people of other minorities and their language, belonging to the south Asian family, has no written script. Many can speak the Jingpo, Dai or Han languages, with some learning to write in Dai. Han Chinese has become widespread among them since the middle of the twentieth century.
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Population: 17,935
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Distribution: Yunnan
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Language: De'ang
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Religion: Buddhism
Climate of Deang (德昂族)
Dragon bamboo grows in abundance in the Gaoligong and Nushan mountain ranges, where the De’angs have been settled for several generations. The soil is fertile and there is a lot of rain. The dragon bamboo, famous in Zhenkang for at least 2,000 years, is used to make everything from farm implements to cooking utensils, as well as for building houses. The De’ang people have been farming for centuries and grow rice, jute and corn, among other crops, as well as, more recently, tea, coffee, cotton and rubber. Every De’ang family grows a tea bush in the garden, among tropical fruit trees such as banana, pomegranate and papaya.
History and Traditions of Deang (德昂族)
The name ‘De’ang’ has only been used for these people since the Qing dynasty, before which, along with the Va and Blang ethnic groups, they were known as the Pu people and lived mostly in southwestern Yunnan province.
There is a distinct division of labour within the production unit of the family, according to age and sex. The De’ang people use their farms and flatland to practise intensive farming. People used to cultivate a certain area and, when it was left uncultivated, it reverted back to communal ownership. Private ownership of paddy fields came later.
A commune was formed by small family units, often with around thirty or forty people living in one house, though individual families had their own hearth and accounts.
Traditions of Deang (德昂族)
Young people can choose who they want to marry and courtships are long. A young man will sing under a potential lover’s window and, if she likes him, she’ll throw him a blanket (so he can cover his face) and let him in and they often then talk through the night. He will give her waistbands and she will respond by giving him earrings – the more they have, the more devoted they are to each other. An important part of the wedding ceremony is the water-drum dance, which is symbolic of true love.
Religion of Deang (德昂族)
As Buddhists, some De’ang people will not kill living creatures, which can be problematic if their crops are destroyed by wildlife.
Burials are usual, though if someone has died after a long illness or in childbirth, the body is cremated instead.
Modern Times of Deang (德昂族)
In 1953, the Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture was formally established and the economy in De’ang areas has been developing since that time, with huge farmland constructions, growing tea and fruit and raising livestock.
From having no De’ang people attending school, now children can go to school locally and adults have also been learning to read and write. Medical facilities have also improved.
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