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The Namzi Ethnic Group Name: Namzi, Namuyi Population: 5,000 Habitat: In the western part of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Sichuan Province. |
The Namzi or Namuyi are a small ethnic group of about 5,000 persons. They inhabit the Yi and Tibetan borderlands in the west of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. They have not been officially recognized as a Chinese National Nationality, therefore is difficult to find materials about them in Chinese sources. Their language belongs to the Qiangic branch of the Sino-Tibetan family.
Basic Facts about Namzi Culture
Academic Materials about the Namzi
Libu Lakhi, Brook Hefright and Kevin Stuart. The Namuyi linguistic and Cultural features. Asian Folklore Studies, vol 66. 2007: 233-253
This paper first introduces the Namuyi in terms of location, population, and ethnonym. It then provides brief background on the Namuyi language, including a comparison of the d..¹¹ qu¹¹ and Luóguodi varieties and a 207-item Swadesh list of English words with their Namuyi equivalents. Finally, it discusses Namuyi religion and provides a transcription of the kajubu ritual.
Libu Lakhi, Charles Kevin Stuart, and Gerald Roche. Calling Back the lost namzi Tibetan soul. Asian Highlands Perspectives, 1 (2009), 65-115.
A na53 m+i53 person falls accidentally and is panicked. The rahi'soul' leaves the body and the person becomes lethargic. It is nearly always the patient's mother who calls the soul back, if she knows the correct chant.The ritual is commonly done for children less than ten years of age, though anyone may lose their soul. The chant is presented along with a brief discussion of na53 m+i53 cosmology and beliefs concerning the soul..
Books
and references
Free books about the Namzi- Namuyi
Libu Lakhi with Tseringbum and Charles Kevin Stuart. China’s Namzi Tibetan Life, Language, and Folklore. Two volumes. Asian Highland Perspectives. 2009.
The book consists in three parts, the first is a short description of the life of the author, the first Namzi that study four languages: Yi, Chinese, Tibetan and English, and the hardships he endured to avail to himself an education that could allow him to fly for the circle of poverty secular among the Namzi. The second is a short description of the life of the Namzi, a very particular description in which the cultural characteristics of this people are described as the own author interacts with them. In this section the reader can get information about their myths, history, clothes, religion, festivals, marriages and funerals. In the third section, the main body of the book, some of the most interesting myths and folktales of the Namzi are translated to English, Chinese and Tibetan.
The Namuzi in the Art, art of the Namuzi
Photo Exhibitions
Music
Films and Video
Documentary Films about the Namzi
Namyi Sacrifice to the Mountain Deities – In Muer Village, by Luodu Gezu
This Namyi sacrifice to the deities was sponsored by Luodu Gezu's grandfather, Luogu Shuoguozha, on a mountain located in Mu'er Village, Lianhe Township, Mianning County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, PR China in February 2008. This ritual involved sacrificing to Luodu Gezu's elders' graves. This ritual is done by Namyi families during the lunar New Year period (1st-15th days of the 1st lunar month).
Arts
Travel
Travel to Namuzi lands
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