Part II.pdf - MTB-MLE Network

The target communities and their language situation
After two field surveys among typical Lahu villages in 2002, researchers of RTCLE, language experts
from the Education Bureau in Lancang County, and some skillful literacy facilitators in Lancang
County agreed to select Nanuoke and Banli villages as the project target villages. Both of these
two villages are composed of Lahu people.
Nanuoke village is located in a semi-mountainous area, about 500-1,000 meters above sea level.
The village has 76 households, with a total population of 304. Of those, 219 are labourers. The
village comprises 1,298 acres of cultivated area. The average grain possessed by each individual
is about 300 kilograms.
Banli village is an administrative village under which there are ten natural villages, with
303 households and a total population of 1,460. Most of the villagers are Lahu people, but some
belong to other ethnic groups such as Wa and Hani.
Both Nanuoke and Banli are located in remote mountain areas where transportation is inconvenient.
The income of villagers mainly comes from planting tea, sugarcane and other farming work. Local
illiterates and semi-illiterates are engaged in planting and breeding livestock. This is a form of
self-sufficiency, and has not been integrated with trading.
In daily life, the villagers speak their own language, and only when going to the hospital, going
shopping or going to governmental agencies do they speak Chinese. Some young people can speak
a little Chinese. Many villagers can also speak and write the Dai language. The Dai are another
ethnic group located mainly in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
Based on the literature search, historical research and field surveys from the two villages, the research
group found the following:
Vicious circle of illiteracy and poverty
The means of production for the Lahu people lags behind other areas. In some places, the Lahu
people are still involved in slash-and-burn farming. Though there have been great changes and
improvements in their farming methodology through external support and influence, Nanuoke
and Banli villagers are still engaged in agriculture and livestock production as are a form of
self-sufficiency, and not for trade. The crops they plant can only ensure their food. If they want
to buy other goods such as fertilizers, seeds and other daily necessities, they have to try other means.
This underdeveloped local production and economy understandably results in low villager income.
Nanuoke and Banli villages are located in a remote mountainous area which lacks convenient
transportation, information or personnel for training on farming technology. There is no health
centre with qualified health personnel or disease prevention centre. People maintain their traditional
lifestyle, means of agricultural production and traditional thoughts and values.
Since Nanuoke and Banli are located far away from cities and towns, even if they were to have
extra farm products for sale, they would not benefit from their sale because the cost would be higher
due to transportation costs to the markets. As the population of the community increases, they
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