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The Kayan is a sub tribe of Mon-Hkmer group, minority ethnic of Burma (Myanmar). The Kayan consists of the following groups: Kayan Lahwi (also called Padaung), Kayan Ka Khaung (Gekho), Kayan Lahta, Kayan Ka Ngan. Padaung (Yan Pa Doung) is a Shan term for the Kayan Lahwi (the group whose women wear the brass neck coils). But some Kayan people refer to themselves as Kayan not Padaung any more and object to being called Padaung. They like to be called Kayan.
Kayan lived on Mountains at the south ShanState and west of KarenniState(Kayah) since earlier BC 739, 739 years before the coming of Jesus Christ. During that time Kayan people worship guardians of Mountains and trees. After PEME missianry priests arrive in Taungu some of Kayan converted form Animism to Christianity. In the late 1980s and early 1990s due to conflict with the military regime in Burma, many Kayan tribes fled to the Thai border area, where they live with an uncertain legal status, and villages displaying Kayan women with brass neck coils for tourist dollars appeared.
Kayan number about 60,000 in ShanState (around the Phekon twonship area) and 50,000 in KayahState (around Demoso and Loikaw). Around 9,000 Kayan lived at the north of Loikaw, Shisai township which is closed to Pa-O people. Still many Kayan are living at the East of Naypyidaw. A 2006 estimate puts the population at approximately 150,000. About 600 Kayan reside in the three villages open to tourists in Mae Hong Son, or in the Ban Mai Nai Soi refugee camp. According to KNGY’s statistics, the latest Kayan population in 2010 is around 402,000.
Present Settlement of the Kayan
Kayan settled in the Demawso area of KarenniState (KayahState) since 739 BC. Today they are found in Karenni (Kayah) State around Demawso and Loikow, in the southern region of ShanState, Phekon and in Mandalay, East of Pyinmana and Karen’s Than Daung township. There are three Kayan villages in Mae Han Son province in Thailand. The largest is Hauy PyuKeng on the Pai river, close to the Thai Burma border. Huai Seau Tao is a commercial village opened in 1995. Many of the residents of Nai Soi KayanTayar moved into the Karenni refugee camp in September 2008, but a few families remain there.
Most of the Kayan people in Mae Hong Son are formerly from nine villages in KarenniState. The majority are from Rwan Khu and Daw Kee village. The people of Huay Pu Keng are mainly from Lay Mile village.Many families of Kayan are moved to the third country for a better settlement and the do not speak Kayan any more due to some kayan guys from Kayanonline social website. Some of them are from America and Europe. Other are from Australia and New Zealand. According to Khu Kayan from his website,the Kayan national claim that their original name is Kan-yan, "Kan" means "the territory" and "Yan" is "the tenacity" or "being well settled". Accordingly, Kan-yan means "the peaople who settle in a certain territory without moving anywhere". As the time has elapsed, Kan-yan gradually became 'Kayan'.
