Daai Local Council

The Dai are an ethnic group living in Chin State, Myanmar (Burma). The Dai comprise 32 Chin tribes, which have been recognized by the Government of Burma since 1890. According to a census by the State Peace and Development Council military regime, the Dai are listed as the 62nd of the 135 recognized ethnic groups of Burma. Researchers also refer to them as the Dai group in ethnic survey reports. The Dai-Chin are of Tibeto-Burman descent. They primarily live in Mindat, Paletwa, Matupi, and Kanpetlet townships of southern Chin State. With more than 180 villages and a population estimated between 35,000 and 45,000, the Dai-Chin represent the majority ethnic group in the Southern Chin Hills.

Ethnonyms

The name "Dai" is derived from a root in the Tai/Dai language family meaning "peace," "plain," or "harmony." According to Thang Hleih, "Dai" represents people who live peacefully, lovingly, and harmoniously. Despite the region’s mountainous nature, the name signifies "plain" or "valley people."

History

The Dai-speaking region was independent until the British expedition in 1890, and was later annexed by the British Empire in 1897. The Dai language shows slight variation between sub-tribes. Their ethnic symbol is the ''khuum'' (rocket-tail dragon), and their royal flower is the ''ling leih'' (''Bulbophyllum refractum'', an orchid species). Today, about 99% of Dai people identify as Christians.

Geographic distribution

The Dai inhabit a region in the southern part of Chin State, Myanmar, which lies within the country's western mountain zone. Myanmar is bordered by China to the north and northeast, Laos and Thailand to the east and southeast, India to the northwest, Bangladesh to the west, and the Andaman Sea to the south.

The Dai-speaking region is administratively divided into four regions within Chin State: Kanpetlet, Mindat, Matupi, and Paletwa. Each region is sometimes referred to by local names such as Kanpetlet Dai, Mindat Dai, Matu Dai, and Paletwa Dai. There are more than 180 Dai villages, comprising approximately 13% of the 1,355 villages in Chin State. Villages range in size from 10 to 140 houses. The largest is Majar Innu Village in Kanpetlet Township, located in the western central part of The Dai-speaking region.

The Dai-speaking region lies between 20˚42′ and 21˚35′ north latitude, and 93˚14′ and 94˚08′ east longitude. It spans parts of the western Mindat, northwestern Kanpetlet, northeastern Paletwa, and southeastern Matupi townships. The longest stretch of The Dai-speaking region is approximately 120 miles (193 km), while the narrowest part is around 60 miles (96 km). The terrain is mountainous, ranging from 800 to 3,200 meters above sea level, and is interlaced with brooks, streams, and small rivers such as the Lemro River and the Mone Stream (မုန်းချောင်း). Watercourses run north to south, creating deep valleys and gorges.

Diaspora in Malaysia

Some Dais have migrated to Malaysia due to political, cultural, and religious persecution in Myanmar. In Malaysia, many live as undocumented migrants, facing the risk of arrest, detention, whipping, and deportation. Without formal refugee camps, Daai refugees live in overcrowded apartments, urban slums, or makeshift jungle camps near construction sites.

Dai refugee communities are scattered across Malaysia in cities and towns such as Johor Bahru, Ipoh, the Cameron Highlands, Kalang, Kajang, and Rawang.

Population

The total Dai population is estimated between 60,000 and 90,000, comprising roughly 15% of Chin State's population (estimated at 500,000). While most live in Myanmar, Dai communities are also found abroad. The Dai are descended from Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin-Naga, and Kuki-Chin lineages.

Education

The Dai-speaking region has limited educational infrastructure. Most villages have access to basic primary education, and some offer middle school (ages 5–14). However, higher education is available only in select villages. Increasingly, Daai youth are pursuing education in Christian colleges located in cities such as Yangon, Falam, Hakha, Mandalay, Kalay, Maymyo, Kyaukhtu, and Pakokku, as well as abroad in countries like India and the United States.

Health

Some villages have government clinics and dispensaries, though these often lack medicine and medical staff. Villagers often travel to nearby Burmese towns to obtain treatment and medicines. Occasionally, government medical teams visit The Daai-speaking region to administer vaccinations and provide basic healthcare services.

Language

All Dai tribes speak the Daai Chin language http://www.ethnologue.com/language code:ISO-639-3/dao, a member of the Sino-Tibetan family. This should not be confused with other similarly named languages in the Tai-Kadai family. While dialects differ slightly between regions such as Kanpetlet and Matupi, they are generally mutually intelligible.

Religion

Roughly four decades ago, most Dai practiced animism. In their traditional belief system, a Supreme Being called ''M'hnamnu'' was revered. Other titles used included ''Khyümhnam'', ''Nukhyünu'', and ''Pamhmampa'', all referring to a divine creator or shelter. Scholar Ki Houng describes M'hnamnu as the righteous and holy creator of all things who does not dwell in this world. Ha Om further interprets M'hnamnu as the universe's life-giver, referred to by both maternal and paternal names. Rev. Manar Naing explains that "Mhmam" means God and "Nu" means noble, rendering the full meaning as "Noble God." Despite such beliefs, God has also been referred to as ''Pa Ngsim'' since 1975, meaning "Holy Father."
The Dai believe M'hnamnu is beyond human understanding and invisible. A common phrase, ''"Jah hmuki ni lu khana ka"'' suggests that seeing M'hnamnu would bring immediate death.
Today, around 99% of Dai people are Christians. The gospel was introduced to the region around 1970, about 156 years after the American missionary Adoniram Judson began his mission in Rangoon (now Yangon).

Economy

The Dai practice shifting cultivation, known as ''taungya'' in Burmese and ''lou'' or ''lo'' in the Dai language. Farmers clear forest plots and grow crops for one to two years before moving to new land, allowing old plots to regenerate over a 10–11 year cycle.

Shifting cultivation is deeply rooted in Dai culture, forming the basis of both their economy and social life. Initially practiced for subsistence, it remains the main livelihood strategy, supporting families with food and providing income to meet basic needs.

The Dai cultivate crops such as rice, corn, millet, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, gourds, eggplants, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, sesame, and celery. Planting occurs during the monsoon season (mid-April to June), with harvests in October and November. Agriculture is dependent on rainfall, and farming is primarily for subsistence.

The Dai-speaking region is largely undeveloped, and its economy relies on slash-and-burn or shifting cultivation. Transportation infrastructure and marketplaces are limited.

References

General references

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{{Ethnic groups in Burma

Ethnic groups in China
Ethnic groups in Myanmar
History of Inner Mongolia
Refugees in Malaysia