Numbering over 7 million, the Yi people possess several names, such as Nuosu in China and Lo Lo in Vietnam and Thailand.In China, the Yi people live mostly throughout Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Guizhou, where I lived for 4 years. Typically, they are farmers, herders, and nomadic hunters.
The Yi language is closest to Burmese, even though it can be divided into a half dozen dialects. Some scholars claim that the Yi are descendants of the Tibetans.
Throughout history, the Yi people adhered to a matriarchal form society and government. In several areas, they practiced a complex version of slavery.
Yi men traditionally dressed in black with narrow sleeves and loose-fitting pants, often with a handkerchief on their head.
Photo by Sariw, Public Domain at Wikipedia.
