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Pumi keep old traditions alive
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THE Pumi ethnic group are known mostly as farmers who live in the southwest of China.
With a population of 42,861, the Pumi live mainly in the Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous Counties of Nujiang Lisu Prefecture, Ninglang, Yulong and Yongsheng counties of Lijiang City, and Weixi Lisu Autonomous County of Diqing Tibetan Prefecture in Yunnan Province.
The terrain in these areas is mountainous with an average altitude of 2,500 meters. The area is blessed with natural resources like the Jinsha River, Lancang River and Lugu Lake.
Most of the Pumi people today engage in farming and raising livestock. However, the group originated in the north thousands of years ago. They are said to have derived from the ancient Qiang tribe. These nomads at the borders of today’s Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan provinces gradually moved southward to the western plateau of Sichuan.
Part of the Pumi ancestors joined the Mongolian army, which marched south to conquer the Kingdom of Dali in today’s Yunnan Province in the mid 13th century. These people later settled there and formed the present Pumi ethnic group.
Men often wear jackets made of flax, wool or cotton together with long loose trousers. A goat hair belt with two embroidered ends is usually worn around the waist together with a sword. Felt and leather shoes are also common. Both men and women prefer goatskin garments or capes. Pumi women prefer thick and black plaits mixed with yak tail hairs and silk threads on the top of their heads. They traditionally wear high-collared and tight-sleeved jackets with buttons down one side, together with a long-pleated skirt. The women like colorful belts as decoration as well as necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
Girls and boys have a coming-of-age ceremony at age 13. The ceremony for girls is usually hosted by the mother. With earrings and necklaces in the right hand and flax and threads in the left hand, the girl standing on haversack takes both her rights and duties as a woman in the process. And after praying to the gods and ancestors, the mother will help the girl change into jackets and long skirts.
Like many ethnic groups in southern China, the Pumi have the custom of upholding the authority of the mother’s brothers.
The uncle, as the most respected man in the family, is usually responsible for the ceremony for boys. Similar procedures are required for boys just like that for girls. The boy takes courage by holding a knife in the right hand and wealth by holding silver in the left hand, while standing on the haversack as well.
Both boys and girls will kowtow to the gods and relatives, and then toast to show their gratitude. After the ceremony, the boys and girls will be entitled to work and join social activities.
Mu leng fang, or houses made of wood, are common in Pumi villages. The houses are usually built on gentle slopes, with log-walls and A-shaped roofs. It is usually a two-story building, with the first floor for the livestock and the second for people.
A huge cubic post is always set in the middle of the main room, which is called qing tian zhu, or pillar up to heaven, in Pumi tradition. It is believed to be the gods’ place. A fireplace is usually set to the right of the door, and beds are often placed around the fire.
Maize, rice, buckwheat and highland barley are staple foods. They are usually made into pancakes for toasting, steaming, braising or baking.
The Pumi language belongs to the Qiang branch of Tibetan-Burmese of the Chinese-Tibetan Family. Most Pumi people are polytheistic. They worship their ancestors while some believe in Tibetan Buddhism.
Traditionally the Pumi people also celebrate Han festivals like Chinese New Year. They worship the dragon god in the third month of the lunar calendar. People pray for favorable weather and prepare the spring plowing. The Changxin Festival takes place after the spring harvest. They eat the just harvested rice, worship gods and offer sacrifices to their ancestors to celebrate the harvest.
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