Taungthus

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This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Taungthus

Hill people

A tribe of Karen origin, inhabiting the eastern border of Burma and the western border and centre of the Southern Shan States. In 1901 the Taungthus numbered 168,301. They are a widely scattered people, being found all along the eastern highlands between 16° and 22° N. latitude ; but their two main centres are in the country round about the lower reaches of the Salween, and in the neighbourhood of the Southern Shan State of Hsahtung, the Myoza or administrator of which is a Taungthu. Amherst and Thaton are the two Lower Burma Districts which contain most Taungthus. The latter District is said to have been their original home ; and one of their legends has it that when in the eleventh century the king of Thaton was carried away captive to Upper Burma and his kingdom was broken up, a number of Taungthus went north and founded a new Thaton (Hsahtung) in the Shan States. The Taungthus speak a language which is closely allied to Karen. Their name for themselves is Pa-o. They are a sturdy, thickset race, swarthier in the south than their neighbours. The men dress like Shans, in the ordinary jacket and loose trousers. The women have, as is the general rule among the eastern hill tribes, a costume of their own. The upper garment resembles the Karen thindaifig or sleeveless smock, and in Thaton is of dark blue cloth trimmed with red ; under this are worn a skirt reaching to the knee, and usually leggings of cloth, though these are dispensed with in the south. The head-dress consists of a turban of tasselled cloth, which is held in position with hairpins and silver bands. The Taungthus are nominally Buddhists and have monasteries ; but spirit-worship is very rife among them, and village and house nais are regularly propitiated. They have a written character, differing in this respect from all the eastern highlanders, with the single excep- tion, perhaps, of the Lolos.