The Kachins of northeastern Myanmar : culture and environment

Myanmar (Burma) is home to a large number of ethnic groups, of which few are known outside Burma. These groups occupy the hilly and mountainous parts of the country in a horse-shoe like distribution pattern around the Ayeyarwaddy (Irrawaddy) lowlands which are home to the majority Burmese. Culturally and racially different, they have resented and resisted Burmese hegemony and control for decades; their isolation effectively shielding from the Yangon government and from its iron grip. Armed rebellion for years made travel difficult and dangerous. However, recent peace deals between the government and rebel ethnic groups have made the region more accessible. This paper explores Kachin culture and the environment that has nurtured it, including distinctive features of the people who inhabit this region, their way of life, their vulnerability and their future prospects in an environment of rich biodiversity but extreme fragility.