Leif Jonsson will show and discuss his ethnographic video. The video
documents the first time Thiland's Mien (Yao) people came together as an
ethnic group. The festival centered on competitive sports and was a showcase
of Mien as modern and fun, while evening culture shows displayed
Leif Jonsson (CSEAS Visiting Research Fellow) will show and discuss his
ethnographic video, "Mien Sports and Heritage, Thailand 2001" (14 min,
2003). The video documents the first time Thailand's Mien (Yao) people came
together as an ethnic group. The festival centered on competitive sports and
was a showcase of Mien as modern and fun, while evening culture shows
displayed their ethnic heritage. Organized by Thailand's Iu Mien
Association, the festival expressed identity politics that concerned
acceptance within mainstream, national society-many highland people
("hill tribes") do not have citizenship papers, and settlement evictions
occur repeatedly. The video follows the action of sports and culture and
offers a window on the ongoing definition of ethnicity, where past and
present are balanced in complex politics, serious sports, and silly
contests, including the novel game of eggplant golf.
21st Century COE Program
-Aiming for COE of Integrated Area Studies-