House of Yao (Mien)

      House of Mien people when they build is depending on the comfortable for their occupation and the government administration. The house of Mien people turn one’s back forward the mountain. If locate on the plain usually turn one’s head to the road. They have separate the room for  their daughter, the kitchen room and the rest room for the people who come to visit and do not have a window in their house but have many doors to enter the house. The most importance door for the Mien house is a big door. This door can contact with the sprit or tell the family’s number. When the house has a funeral or wedding ceremonies, they will use this door to be the enter way.

Usually the people can use this door. The door is opposite the ghost shrine or MienTea in Mien language. The head family will give their birthday for the fortune teller to guest the direction to build the door and build the house. A man will take his wife to stay with him at the parent’s house. The house leader is usually a man except the housework and other thing that happen in the house the senior will make a decision but before make a decision they have a discusses with the member in their family.  For minister to the kids or the member in their family is usually a Mien women take respond on this because they have a knowledge about the herb than man. Mien woman work hard if they have a free time they will sewing the clothes for the family member or to sell that why we do not see the Mien woman have a free time. A mien person takes respect and descends from the father family. Usually the Mien people marry with the same lineage not the relative.

The Social structure.                         The Mien communities in the past depend on them self such as the way of living and the communities manage. In the village they have a positions and support to manage in the village. The Mien families are increasing the member in the families. The head family is the oldest might be grandfather or father and the firstborn will be descended from.               A man will give bride-price to the woman. The Mien women who have to married must use the husband’s family name and take respect the ancestor spirit of the husband and live in the husband’s family. If the groom does not have the bride-price must go to stay with the bride around 15-20 years, then the wife can go to stay at the husband house. Other reason if the women would like to take care her parents must pay the money to the groom and the groom can come to stay at the bride house because a man is a good worker and use the women family’s name. When they have a sun, a sun use the mother family’s name and after that other child can use the father family’s name.

A 360° panorama of the inside of a Mien house. This house is located in Muang Sing, Laos, very near the border with China.

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http://mien.hilltribe.org/english/