Hmong Religion

Lak Chang: A reconstruction of Tai identity in Daikong

“…About eighteen million young radicals were sent to resettle in harsh interior and border regions. 13 The remaining years until 1976 witnessed a see-saw battle between the "moderates" headed by Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping and the "radicals" headed by Mao's wife Jiang Qing. From 1973 to 1976, the moderates generally controlled the executive organs of the political system, while the radicals had the upper hand in the propaganda and media apparatus.…”

“…Thus the cost of a wedding in Lak Chang, a village whose annual average family income is 12,000-15,000 yuan, ranged from 25,000 to 30,000 yuan. 13 In short the cost of a wedding is twice the annual income of the average village family. 14 Lak Chang 13 There are two primary expenses of the wedding: one is the bride-price (approximately 10,000-15,000 yuan) and the other is the expense of the wedding feasts (approximately 15,000-20,000 yuan).…”

“…If it was absolutely necessary to name him, the voice was lowered to a whisper as a token of respect. 13 The commoners' houses were never allowed to excel the chaopha's either in height or in design. No one was to ride past his palace, nor were dead bodies, either of men or of animals, carried past it.…”

“…Spiro 13 describes the wife's role in Burmese peasant society as the one that controls and makes decisions regarding almost all economic activities of the household whilst the man has formal authority outside the household boundary. In the same way, Hildred Geertz 14 has noted the gender roles of the Javanese peasant society thus:…”

“…13 In the interest of building a political process of differentiation, many cultural symbols are utilised in order to arouse emotions and feelings and to prompt group members to resist dominance. Cultural symbols and ethic groupings are utilised in forming organisations and creating unification to oppose the other interest groups.…”