Structure and Social Composition of Hunter Gatherer Camps: Have the Mlabri Settled Permanently?.
Shinsuke Nakai
- Osaka-JP : National Museum Ethnology, 2016.
- páginas 123-138: ilustraciones en blanco y negro.
- no. 94 (2016)
- Senri Ethnological Studies ; no. 94 .
- National Museum of Ethnology Osaka. .
The objective of this study is to ascertain the conditions of daily life of the hunter-gatherers known as the Mlabri in Laos, and to exantine the changes that have occurred over the past 15 years in Mlabri society. In particular, the article describes the case of the Mlabri community inhabiting Phiang District, Sainyabuli Province. Sainyabuli is a basin created by tributaries of the Mekong River. It is by mount include the Lao, y for by ethnic groups theamp inhabited by Khyou and Hmong The study habind existence of a camp inhabited by only Mlabri residents is located nearmed Keng Village, inhabited by Lao people. Previous studies of the Mlabri in Laos have reported on their nomadic life, around the year 2000. Field surveys bonducted in 2014 for the present study identified for the first time the status of a new Mlabri settlement. At that time, new relations between the Mlabri and their external society were observed, exemplified by their participation in the large Elephant Festival, held in Sainyabuli Province in February, 2014. At present, a Lao village exists near the Mlabri dwellings. For that reason, rather than moving around, Mlabri might have opted to settle there, so as to retain assist by these Lao people. The Mlabri group, which numbers just 15 people, is likely to be living with the support of Lao people. Since the Lao are devotees of Theravada Buddhism, such a virtuous act as feeding the poor would provide a support system the Mlabri require. Changes in Mlabri society have occurred during their transition from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle. However, the authors' findings suggest that the Mlabri have changed lifestyles from nomadic to settled, and then back to nomadic again. Therefore it is unlikely that they would readily opt to settle permanently in one place.